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The England head coach despised the label Bazball from its inception, deeming it reductive and perhaps anticipating how it might be weaponised down the line. Right now, trailing 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. Following the gut-wrenching loss at the Gabba, his insistence that, if anything, England were 'too prepared' before the pink-ball match was akin to trying to put out a bin fire with petrol. It risks becoming his epitaph as England head coach if results do not take an upturn.

In a way, one must admire his commitment to the bit. While McCullum claims to ignore external noise, he will have been acutely aware of an England team often described as carefree and lacking preparation.

The truth, as always, is not so simple. England enjoy golf just as much during their scheduled breaks as their rivals and they practice equally hard. Before the Gabba Test, they did more, logging five days to Australia's three, due to their limited experience to the pink ball and the changes in seeing conditions.

The Question of Readiness and Training

McCullum's point about being "excessively ready" was that those five extra days were his decision – the moment he wavered in his conviction that less is more. It suggested a Test match's worth of mental energy was expended before they even stepped out in the cauldron of Australia's stronghold. And though nets are a chance to iron out technique, they can also become a comfort zone; low-pressure activity that simply keeps the reflexes sharp.

Fixtures are tight such that warm-up matches against state sides were not possible (with uncertain value, as shown by England playing three before the 5-0 series loss in 2013-14). More difficult to justify is the dismissal of domestic red-ball cricket as a valuable experience in general, as shown by a young player's wasted summer.

On-Field Deficiencies and Strategic Stagnation

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

The coach's unconventional outlook was freeing during its first 12 months, an effective, well diagnosed solution to eradicate the torpor that came before. The frustration now stems from how it has apparently not evolved past that point – the lack 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 Spotlight and Selection Dilemmas

Among them is Jamie Smith, a gifted player, undoubtedly, but one who is being mercilessly targeted on both edges and missed two crucial opportunities as wicketkeeper. The situation is not aided when your counterpart, Alex Carey, has just produced a masterful display.

Going by the coach's words in the aftermath, England appear set to keep the faith with Smith in Adelaide. The hope – as is the case – is that a switch to a more familiar match environment triggers his best, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unusual floodlit Test now in the past.

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 middle order player, handing him the wicketkeeping duties, and selecting a new No 3. A young contender made some runs for the Lions over the weekend, or maybe an all-rounder could perform a similar role to the former spinner in 2023.

In the end, these changes is perfect, however Australia's superior basics having destroyed pre-series optimism and pushed the broader philosophy into the spotlight.