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The England head coach detested the label Bazball the moment it emerged, considering it overly simplistic and maybe anticipating how it could be used as a weapon in the future. Currently, down 2-0 in an Test series in Australia that started with high hopes, it has become the butt of mockery from Australia.

But the coach has not helped himself either. After the crushing defeat at the Gabba, his insistence that, if there was an issue, England were 'over-prepared' before the pink-ball match was like trying to put out a bin fire with petrol. It could become his epitaph as England head coach if performances do not improve.

In a way, one must admire his dedication to the philosophy. As much as McCullum says he block out outside criticism, he must have been acutely aware of an England team increasingly characterised as carefree and underprepared.

The reality, as ever, is more nuanced. England play as much golf during their scheduled breaks as their opponents and they train just as much. Prior to the Gabba Test, they trained for longer, completing five days compared 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 Training

McCullum's point about being "excessively ready" was that those additional training days were his call – the instance he wavered in his belief that less is more. It meant a Test match's worth of mental energy was expended before they even took the field in the cauldron of Australia's fortress. And though nets are a opportunity to iron out technique, they can also become a comfort zone; zero consequence work that simply keeps the reflexes sharp.

Schedules are tight such that pre-series state games were unavailable (with no guarantee, when you consider England playing three before the 5-0 series loss in 2013-14). What is harder to square is the disregard of county championship cricket as a worthwhile exercise in general, evidenced by a young player's wasted summer.

On-Field Shortcomings and Strategic Lack of Evolution

Only playing hardens cricketers for the various scenarios they walk out to face, and it is in this area where England have thus far been found lacking. The issue is not just with the bat – harrowing as some of the shot selection has been – but an bowling attack that seems without a spearhead. No bowler has demonstrated the patience or discipline that the exceptional Mitchell Starc and his support cast have displayed.

McCullum's unconventional approach was liberating during its first 12 months, an excellent, apt solution to shake off the torpor that preceded it. The disappointment now stems from how it has seemingly failed to move beyond that point – the lack of an upgrade to the initial philosophy that has seen results taper off to an even record from their most recent matches.

Squad Focus and Team Decisions

Among them is Jamie Smith, a talent, undoubtedly, but one who is being mercilessly targeted on each side of the bat and missed two key chances with the gloves. The situation is not aided when your counterpart, the Australian keeper, has just delivered a masterful display.

Based on the coach's comments after the match, England appear set to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – similar to the broader situation – is that a switch to a traditional match environment unleashes his best, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unfamiliar day-night format now in the past.

The alternative is to implement the plan stumbled across during the series win in New Zealand last year by moving Ollie Pope down to his more natural home as a busy middle order player, handing him the gloves, and selecting a fresh face at first drop. A young contender made some runs for the Lions over the weekend, or perhaps Will Jacks could perform a comparable function to Moeen Ali in 2023.

Ultimately, these changes is perfect, however Australia's better fundamentals having destroyed expectations and forced the team's entire approach into the spotlight.