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Brendon McCullum detested the moniker Bazball from its inception, deeming it reductive and perhaps anticipating how it could be weaponised in the future. Right now, down 2-0 in an Test series in Australia that started with great expectations, it has turned into the subject of mockery from Australia.

However McCullum has not helped himself either. After the gut-wrenching defeat at the Gabba, his claim that, if anything, England were 'over-prepared' before the day-night Test was like attempting to extinguish a bin fire with petrol. It risks becoming his lasting legacy as England head coach if performances do not improve.

On one level, one must admire his dedication to the philosophy. While he says he block out outside criticism, he will have been acutely aware of an England team increasingly characterised as carefree and lacking preparation.

The truth, as always, is more nuanced. England play as much golf during their scheduled breaks as their rivals and they practice equally hard. Before the Gabba Test, they did more, logging five days compared to Australia's three, due to their limited experience to the pink ball and the changes in lighting conditions.

The Debate of Readiness and Training

McCullum's point about being "excessively ready" was that those additional training days were his decision – the instance he wavered in his belief that minimal preparation is best. It meant a significant amount of focus was expended before they even stepped out in the cauldron of Australia's stronghold. And though nets are a opportunity to refine skills, they can also become a safety blanket; low-pressure work that simply keeps the reactions quick.

Fixtures are tight such that pre-series state games were unavailable (and uncertain value, as shown by England playing three before the whitewash in 2013-14). More difficult to justify is the disregard of domestic red-ball cricket as a valuable experience more broadly, as shown by a young player's unproductive season.

On-Field Deficiencies and Philosophical Stagnation

Match practice alone prepares cricketers for the many situations they walk out to face, and it is in this area where England have thus far fallen well short. It is not only with the batting – harrowing as some of the shot selection has been – but an attack that seems without a spearhead. None has demonstrated the patience or control that the otherworldly Mitchell Starc and his teammates have delivered.

McCullum's free-spirit approach was liberating during its initial year, an excellent, well diagnosed remedy to eradicate the torpor that came before. The frustration now comes in how it has seemingly failed to move beyond that initial phase – the lack of an upgrade to the original software that has seen form decline to an even record from their last 30 Tests.

Player Focus and Team Decisions

Among them is the wicketkeeper-batter, a talent, no question, but one who is being mercilessly targeted on each side of the bat and missed two key chances as wicketkeeper. It probably does not help when your counterpart, the Australian keeper, has just produced a virtuoso display.

Based on the coach's words in the aftermath, England appear set to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – similar to the broader situation – is that a switch to a more familiar match environment unleashes his top form, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unusual floodlit Test now out of the way.

The alternative is to implement the plan stumbled across during the victorious series in New Zealand 12 months ago by moving Ollie Pope down to his preferred position as a busy No. 5 or 6, giving him the gloves, and selecting a fresh face at first drop. A young contender scored runs for the Lions recently, or maybe Will Jacks could perform a similar role to the former spinner in 2023.

Ultimately, these changes is ideal, with Australia's better fundamentals having shattered pre-series optimism and pushed the team's entire approach into the harsh glare of scrutiny.