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The England head coach loathed the term Bazball the moment it emerged, viewing it as overly simplistic and perhaps anticipating how it could be used as a weapon in the future. Right now, trailing 2-0 in an away Ashes series that started with high hopes, it has become the butt of Australian jokes.

But McCullum has contributed to the problem either. After the crushing loss at the Gabba, his insistence that, if there was an issue, England were 'over-prepared' before the day-night Test 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 dedication to the philosophy. While McCullum claims to ignore outside criticism, he must have been all too aware of an England team increasingly characterised as carefree and underprepared.

The truth, as ever, is not so simple. 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, logging five days compared to Australia's three, given their limited experience to the pink Kookaburra ball and the changes in seeing conditions.

The Question of Readiness and Practice

McCullum's point about being "excessively ready" was that those additional training days were his decision – the instance he wavered in his conviction that minimal preparation is best. 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 opportunity to refine technique, they can also become a comfort zone; zero consequence activity that simply maintains the reflexes sharp.

Schedules are congested such that warm-up matches against state sides were unavailable (and no guarantee, as shown by England playing three before the whitewash in 2013-14). What is harder to square is the disregard of domestic red-ball cricket as a valuable experience more broadly, evidenced by a young player's wasted summer.

On-Field Deficiencies and Strategic Lack of Evolution

Only playing 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. The issue is not just with the batting – harrowing as some of the decision-making has been – but an attack that seems without a spearhead. None has shown the persistence or discipline that the exceptional Mitchell Starc and his teammates have delivered.

The coach's unconventional outlook was liberating during its initial year, an excellent, well diagnosed remedy to eradicate the lethargy that came before. The frustration now comes in how it has seemingly not evolved past that point – the lack of an second phase to the initial philosophy that has seen form decline to 14 wins and 14 losses from their most recent matches.

Player Focus and Selection Dilemmas

One such player is Jamie Smith, a talent, undoubtedly, but one who is being constantly tested on each side of the bat and has dropped two key chances with the gloves. It probably does not help when your opposite number, the Australian keeper, has just delivered a virtuoso performance.

Going by McCullum's comments after the match, England look likely to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The hope – similar to the broader situation – is that a return to a more familiar Test setting unleashes his best, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unusual day-night format now in the past.

The alternative is to enact the plan discovered during the series win in New Zealand last year by moving the batsman down to his preferred position as a busy No. 5 or 6, giving him the wicketkeeping duties, and selecting a new No 3. A young contender made some runs for the Lions recently, or maybe Will Jacks could perform a similar role to the former spinner in 2023.

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