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The England head coach despised the term Bazball the moment it emerged, considering it overly simplistic and perhaps anticipating how it could be used as a weapon down the line. Currently, down 2-0 in an away Ashes series that began with great expectations, it has become the butt of Australian jokes.

However McCullum has not helped himself either. Following the crushing defeat at the Gabba, his claim that, if anything, England were 'over-prepared' prior to the day-night Test was akin to attempting to extinguish a rubbish fire with gasoline. It risks becoming his lasting legacy as England head coach if results do not take an upturn.

On one level, one must admire his dedication to the philosophy. While he claims to block out external noise, he must have been acutely aware of an England team often described as freewheeling and underprepared.

The reality, as ever, is not so simple. England play as much golf during their scheduled breaks as their rivals and they train just as much. Before the Gabba Test, they trained for longer, completing five days to Australia's three, given their lack of exposure to the pink ball and the different lighting conditions.

The Question of Preparation and Training

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 stepped out in the cauldron of Australia's fortress. While nets are a chance to iron out technique, they can also become a safety blanket; zero consequence activity that mainly maintains the reflexes sharp.

Fixtures are congested such that warm-up matches against state sides were unavailable (with no guarantee, as shown by England having played three before the whitewash in 2013-14). More difficult to justify is the disregard of county championship cricket as a valuable experience more broadly, evidenced by a young player's unproductive season.

Match Deficiencies and Strategic Stagnation

Match practice alone hardens cricketers for the many situations they walk out to face, and it is in this area where England have so far fallen well short. It is not only with the batting – as poor as some of the decision-making has been – but an bowling attack that seems leaderless. No bowler has demonstrated the persistence or discipline that the otherworldly Australian paceman and his teammates have delivered.

McCullum's free-spirit approach was freeing during its first 12 months, an excellent, well diagnosed solution to shake off the lethargy that came before. The frustration now comes in how it has seemingly not evolved past that initial phase – the lack of an second phase 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 Jamie Smith, a talent, no question, but one who is being mercilessly targeted on both edges and missed two key chances as wicketkeeper. The situation is not aided when your opposite number, the Australian keeper, has just delivered a virtuoso performance.

Going by the coach's comments after the match, England look likely to keep the faith with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – as is the case – is that a return to a traditional match environment triggers his top form, 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 the batsman down to his more natural home as a busy No. 5 or 6, handing him the wicketkeeping duties, and picking a fresh face at first drop. Bethell scored runs for the Lions over the weekend, or maybe an all-rounder could perform a similar role to Moeen Ali in 2023.

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