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The England head coach detested the label Bazball the moment it emerged, deeming it overly simplistic and maybe foreseeing how it might be weaponised down the line. Right now, down 2-0 in an away Ashes series that began with great expectations, it has turned into the subject of Australian jokes.

But McCullum has not helped himself either. After the gut-wrenching loss at the Gabba, his insistence that, if anything, England were 'too prepared' prior to the pink-ball match was like trying to put out a rubbish fire with petrol. It risks becoming his lasting legacy as England head coach if results do not improve.

In a way, one must admire his commitment to the bit. As much as he says he block out external noise, he must have been acutely aware of an England team often described as freewheeling and underprepared.

The truth, as ever, is not so simple. England enjoy golf just as much during their scheduled breaks as their opponents 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 changes in lighting conditions.

The Question of Preparation and Practice

The coach's point about being "excessively ready" was that those additional training days were his decision – the instance he blinked in his belief that less is more. It meant a Test match's worth of mental energy was used up before they even took the field in the intensity of Australia's fortress. And though net practice are a opportunity to iron out technique, they can also become a safety blanket; zero consequence activity that mainly keeps the reactions quick.

Schedules are tight such that pre-series state games were not possible (and no guarantee, as shown by England having played three before the 5-0 series loss in 2013-14). More difficult to justify is the disregard of domestic red-ball cricket as a valuable experience more broadly, as shown by Jacob Bethell's wasted summer.

Match Shortcomings and Philosophical Stagnation

Only playing prepares cricketers for the many situations they encounter, and it is in this area where England have so far been found lacking. It is not only with the bat – as poor as some of the decision-making has been – but an bowling attack that seems without a spearhead. No bowler has demonstrated the patience or control that the otherworldly Mitchell Starc and his support cast have delivered.

McCullum's unconventional approach was liberating during its first 12 months, an excellent, well diagnosed solution to shake off the lethargy that came before. The frustration now stems from how it has seemingly not evolved past that initial phase – an absence of an second phase to the original software that has seen form decline to 14 wins and 14 losses from their most recent matches.

Player Focus and Team Decisions

One such player is the wicketkeeper-batter, a gifted player, no question, but one who is being constantly tested on both edges and missed two key chances with the gloves. It probably does not help when your opposite number, the Australian keeper, has just produced a virtuoso display.

Going by McCullum's comments after the match, England look likely to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The hope – as is the case – is that a return to a traditional Test setting triggers his best, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unusual day-night format now out of the way.

The alternative is to enact the plan discovered during the series win in New Zealand 12 months ago by moving the batsman down to his preferred position as a busy middle order player, handing him the gloves, and picking a fresh face at first drop. A young contender made some runs for the Lions recently, or maybe an all-rounder could perform a similar role to the former spinner in 2023.

Ultimately, none of this is ideal, with Australia's better fundamentals having shattered pre-series optimism and forced the team's entire approach into the spotlight.