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The England head coach loathed the term Bazball since it was coined, deeming it overly simplistic and maybe foreseeing how it might be used as a weapon down the line. Currently, down 2-0 in an away Ashes series that began with high hopes, it has become the butt of Australian jokes.

However the coach has contributed to the problem either. Following the gut-wrenching defeat at the Gabba, his claim that, if anything, England were 'too prepared' prior to the day-night Test was like attempting to extinguish a bin fire with gasoline. It could become his lasting legacy as national coach if results do not take an upturn.

On one level, you almost have to admire his dedication to the philosophy. While McCullum says he block out external noise, he must have been acutely aware of an England team increasingly characterised 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 practice equally hard. Before the Gabba Test, they trained for longer, logging five days compared to Australia's three, given their limited experience to the pink ball and the changes in lighting conditions.

The Debate of Preparation and Practice

The coach's point about being "over-prepared" was that those five extra days were his decision – the moment he wavered in his conviction that minimal preparation is best. It meant a Test match's worth of focus was used up before they even took the field in the cauldron of Australia's stronghold. And though nets are a opportunity to iron out technique, they can also become a comfort zone; zero consequence activity that mainly keeps the reactions quick.

Fixtures are tight such that warm-up matches against state sides were not possible (with no guarantee, when you consider England playing three before the whitewash in 2013-14). More difficult to justify is the dismissal of county championship cricket as a worthwhile exercise in general, as shown by a young player's wasted summer.

Match Shortcomings and Strategic Stagnation

Match practice alone hardens cricketers for the various scenarios they walk out to face, and it is here where England have so far fallen well short. The issue is not just with the bat – as poor as some of the decision-making has been – but an attack that seems leaderless. None has shown the persistence or discipline that the otherworldly Australian paceman and his teammates have delivered.

McCullum's unconventional outlook was freeing during its first 12 months, an effective, apt remedy to shake off the lethargy that preceded it. The disappointment now stems from how it has seemingly failed to move beyond that point – an absence of an second phase to the initial philosophy that has seen results taper off to an even record from their last 30 Tests.

Player Focus and Selection Decisions

Among them is the wicketkeeper-batter, a gifted player, undoubtedly, but one who is being mercilessly targeted on each side of the bat and missed two key chances with the gloves. It probably does not help when your opposite number, Alex Carey, has just delivered a virtuoso performance.

Going by McCullum's words in the aftermath, England look likely to keep the faith with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – similar to the broader situation – is that a return to a more familiar Test setting triggers his best, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unusual day-night format now out of the way.

Another option is to enact the plan stumbled across during the series win in New Zealand last year by moving Ollie Pope down to his more natural home as a active middle order player, giving him the gloves, and selecting a new No 3. A young contender scored runs for the Lions recently, or maybe Will Jacks could fulfil a similar role to Moeen Ali in 2023.

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