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Brendon McCullum loathed the moniker Bazball since it was coined, deeming it reductive and maybe foreseeing how it could be weaponised down the line. Right now, down 2-0 in an away Ashes series that started with great expectations, it has turned into the subject of Australian jokes.

However McCullum has not helped himself either. Following the gut-wrenching loss at the Gabba, his claim that, if there was an issue, England were 'over-prepared' before the pink-ball match was like attempting to extinguish a rubbish fire with gasoline. It could become his lasting legacy as England head coach if performances do not improve.

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

The truth, as always, is not so simple. England enjoy golf just as much during their necessary down time as their opponents and they practice equally hard. Before the Gabba Test, they trained for longer, completing five days compared to Australia's three, given their lack of exposure to the pink ball and the different seeing conditions.

The Debate of Preparation and Training

McCullum's point about being "over-prepared" was that those additional training days were his decision – the instance he blinked in his conviction that less is more. It suggested a significant amount of focus was expended before they even stepped out in the intensity of Australia's stronghold. And though net practice are a opportunity to iron out technique, they can also become a safety blanket; low-pressure activity that mainly maintains the reactions quick.

Schedules are tight such that warm-up matches against state sides were not possible (and no guarantee, when you consider England having played three before the 5-0 series loss in 2013-14). What is harder to square is the dismissal 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 hardens cricketers for the various scenarios they encounter, and it is in this area where England have so far been found lacking. It is not only with the bat – as poor as some of the shot selection has been – but an bowling attack that seems leaderless. No bowler has shown the persistence or control that the exceptional Australian paceman and his teammates have delivered.

The coach's unconventional approach was liberating during its first 12 months, an effective, apt remedy to eradicate the torpor that preceded it. The frustration now comes in how it has apparently not evolved past that point – the lack of an upgrade to the original software that has seen form taper off to an even record from their last 30 Tests.

Player Focus and Team Dilemmas

Among them is Jamie Smith, a gifted player, undoubtedly, but one who is being constantly tested on each side of the bat and missed two key chances with the gloves. It probably does not help when your counterpart, the Australian keeper, has just delivered a masterful display.

Going by the coach's words after the match, England look likely to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The hope – as is the case – is that a switch to a traditional match environment triggers his best, with Perth's trampoline surface and the unusual day-night format now out of the way.

The alternative is to enact the plan discovered during the victorious series in New Zealand 12 months ago by moving the batsman down to his more natural home as a busy middle order player, handing him the wicketkeeping duties, and picking a new No 3. A young contender made some runs for the Lions recently, or perhaps Will Jacks could perform a similar role to the former spinner in 2023.

In the end, these changes is ideal, with Australia's better fundamentals having destroyed pre-series optimism and forced the team's entire approach into the harsh glare of scrutiny.