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The England head coach loathed the term Bazball from its inception, deeming it overly simplistic and perhaps foreseeing how it might be weaponised down the line. Currently, down 2-0 in an away Ashes series that started with great expectations, it has turned into the subject of Australian jokes.

However McCullum has not helped himself either. Following the crushing defeat at the Gabba, his claim that, if there was an issue, England were 'too prepared' prior to the day-night Test was akin to attempting to extinguish a bin fire with petrol. It risks becoming his lasting legacy as national coach if performances do not improve.

On one level, you almost have to admire his commitment to the bit. As much as he says he ignore external noise, he must have been all too aware of an England team often described as freewheeling and lacking preparation.

The reality, as ever, is more nuanced. England enjoy golf just as much during their scheduled breaks as their rivals and they practice equally hard. Prior to the Gabba Test, they trained for longer, logging five days compared to Australia's three, due to their lack of exposure to the pink ball and the different seeing conditions.

The Question of Readiness and Practice

The coach's point about being "over-prepared" was that those five extra days were his call – the moment he wavered in his belief that less is more. It suggested a significant amount of mental energy was expended before they even stepped out in the cauldron of Australia's fortress. And though nets are a opportunity to refine skills, they can also become a safety blanket; zero consequence activity that simply maintains the reflexes sharp.

Schedules are congested such that warm-up matches against state sides were not possible (with uncertain value, when you consider England playing three before the whitewash in 2013-14). More difficult to justify is the dismissal of county championship cricket as a valuable experience more broadly, evidenced by a young player's unproductive season.

On-Field Deficiencies and Strategic Lack of Evolution

Only playing prepares cricketers for the various scenarios they walk out to face, and it is in this area where England have so far fallen well short. The issue is not just with the bat – harrowing as some of the decision-making has been – but an bowling attack that seems leaderless. No bowler has demonstrated the patience or control that the exceptional Mitchell Starc and his support cast have delivered.

The coach's free-spirit outlook was liberating during its initial year, an excellent, well diagnosed remedy to eradicate the torpor that came before. The disappointment now stems from how it has apparently not evolved past that initial phase – an absence of an upgrade to the initial philosophy that has seen form taper off to 14 wins and 14 losses from their last 30 Tests.

Player Spotlight and Selection Dilemmas

Among them is Jamie Smith, a talent, no question, but one who is being constantly tested on both edges and missed two crucial opportunities as wicketkeeper. It probably does not help when your opposite number, Alex Carey, has just delivered a virtuoso performance.

Based on the coach's comments in the aftermath, England appear set to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – as is the case – is that a return to a traditional Test setting triggers his best, with Perth's trampoline surface and the unusual floodlit Test now in the past.

The alternative is to implement the plan discovered during the victorious series in New Zealand last year by shifting the batsman down to his preferred position as a active No. 5 or 6, giving him the wicketkeeping duties, and picking a fresh face at first drop. Bethell scored runs for the Lions recently, or maybe Will Jacks could fulfil a similar role to the former spinner in 2023.

Ultimately, none of this is ideal, however Australia's superior basics having shattered pre-series optimism and pushed the team's entire approach into the harsh glare of scrutiny.