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The England head coach despised the term Bazball since it was coined, viewing it as overly simplistic and maybe foreseeing how it could be weaponised in the future. Right now, trailing 2-0 in an away Ashes series that began with great expectations, it has turned into the subject of mockery from Australia.

However the coach has not helped himself either. Following the gut-wrenching defeat at the Gabba, his insistence that, if there was an issue, England were 'over-prepared' prior to the pink-ball match was like trying to put out a bin fire with petrol. It could become his lasting legacy as England head coach if results do not improve.

In a way, you almost have to admire his dedication to the philosophy. As much as he says he ignore outside criticism, he must have been all too aware of an England team often described as carefree and lacking preparation.

The reality, as always, is not so simple. England play as much golf during their scheduled breaks as their opponents and they train just as much. Before the Gabba Test, they trained for longer, completing five days to Australia's three, due to their lack of exposure to the pink ball and the changes in seeing conditions.

The Question of Preparation and Practice

McCullum's point about being "over-prepared" was that those additional training days were his decision – the moment he wavered in his belief that minimal preparation is best. It suggested a significant amount of mental energy was used up before they even took the field in the cauldron of Australia's stronghold. And though net practice are a chance to refine skills, they can also become a comfort zone; low-pressure work that mainly maintains the reflexes sharp.

Schedules are congested such that warm-up matches against state sides were not possible (and no guarantee, as shown by England having played three before the whitewash in 2013-14). What is harder to square is the disregard of domestic red-ball cricket as a valuable experience in general, evidenced by a young player's wasted summer.

Match Shortcomings and Philosophical Lack of Evolution

Only playing hardens cricketers for the many situations they walk out to face, and it is in this area where England have so far been found lacking. The issue is not just with the bat – harrowing as some of the decision-making has been – but an attack that seems without a spearhead. None has demonstrated the patience or discipline that the exceptional Mitchell Starc and his teammates have displayed.

The coach's unconventional outlook was freeing during its initial year, an effective, apt remedy to shake off the lethargy that came before. The disappointment now stems from how it has seemingly failed to move beyond that point – an absence of an upgrade to the original software that has seen results taper off to an even record from their last 30 Tests.

Squad Focus and Team Decisions

One such player is Jamie Smith, a gifted player, undoubtedly, but one who is being mercilessly targeted on both edges and has dropped two crucial opportunities as wicketkeeper. It probably does not help when your counterpart, Alex Carey, has just produced a virtuoso performance.

Based on the coach's comments in the aftermath, England look likely to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The hope – as is the case – is that a return to a more familiar match environment triggers his best, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unusual floodlit Test now out of the way.

Another option is to implement the plan discovered during the victorious series in New Zealand last year by moving Ollie Pope down to his more natural home as a busy middle order player, giving him the wicketkeeping duties, and picking a new No 3. Bethell scored runs for the Lions over the weekend, or perhaps Will Jacks could perform a similar role to Moeen Ali in 2023.

Ultimately, these changes is ideal, however Australia's superior basics having destroyed expectations and pushed the broader philosophy into the spotlight.