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The England head coach loathed the moniker Bazball the moment it emerged, viewing it as overly simplistic and perhaps foreseeing how it could be weaponised down the line. Right now, trailing 2-0 in an away Ashes series that began with high hopes, 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 claim that, if there was an issue, England were 'over-prepared' prior to the pink-ball match was like attempting to extinguish a rubbish fire with gasoline. It risks becoming his epitaph as national coach if results do not improve.

In a way, one must admire his dedication to the philosophy. As much as he claims to ignore outside criticism, he must have been acutely aware of an England team increasingly characterised as carefree and lacking preparation.

The reality, as always, is more nuanced. England play as much golf during their scheduled breaks as their opponents and they practice equally hard. 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 different lighting conditions.

The Question of Preparation and Training

McCullum's point about being "excessively ready" was that those five extra days were his call – the moment he wavered in his belief that less is more. It suggested a significant amount of focus was used up before they even stepped out in the cauldron of Australia's stronghold. And though net practice are a chance to refine skills, they can also become a safety blanket; low-pressure work that mainly maintains the reflexes sharp.

Fixtures are congested such that pre-series state games were not possible (and uncertain value, as shown by England having played three before the whitewash in 2013-14). More difficult to justify is the dismissal of county championship cricket as a valuable experience in general, evidenced by a young player's wasted summer.

Match Shortcomings and Strategic Lack of Evolution

Match practice alone hardens cricketers for the many situations they encounter, and it is here where England have thus far fallen well short. The issue is not just with the batting – as poor as some of the decision-making has been – but an attack that seems without a spearhead. No bowler has demonstrated the patience or discipline that the otherworldly Mitchell Starc and his teammates have delivered.

McCullum's free-spirit approach was freeing during its first 12 months, an excellent, apt solution to eradicate the lethargy that preceded it. The disappointment now comes in how it has apparently not evolved past that point – the lack of an second phase to the original software that has seen results taper off to 14 wins and 14 losses from their most recent matches.

Player Spotlight and Selection Dilemmas

Among them is the wicketkeeper-batter, a gifted player, undoubtedly, but one who is being constantly tested on both edges and missed two key chances with the gloves. The situation is not aided when your counterpart, Alex Carey, has just delivered a masterful display.

Based on the coach'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 unleashes 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 stumbled across during the series win in New Zealand last year by shifting Ollie Pope down to his more natural home as a active middle order player, giving him the gloves, and picking a new No 3. Bethell made some runs for the Lions over the weekend, or perhaps an all-rounder could fulfil a similar role to Moeen Ali in 2023.

Ultimately, none of this is ideal, however Australia's superior basics having destroyed expectations and pushed the team's entire approach into the spotlight.