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The England head coach despised the term Bazball the moment it emerged, deeming it overly simplistic and maybe anticipating how it could be weaponised down the line. Right now, down 2-0 in an Test series in Australia that started with great expectations, it has turned into the subject of mockery from Australia.

However the coach has not helped himself either. Following the crushing loss at the Gabba, his insistence 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 epitaph as England head coach if results do not improve.

In a way, you almost have to admire his dedication to the philosophy. As much as McCullum says he block out external noise, he must have been acutely aware of an England team increasingly characterised as freewheeling and lacking preparation.

The reality, as always, is more nuanced. England play as much golf during their necessary down time as their opponents and they train just as much. Prior to the Gabba Test, they did more, completing five days compared to Australia's three, due to their limited experience to the pink Kookaburra ball and the different 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 blinked in his conviction that less is more. It suggested a significant amount of focus was expended before they even took the field in the intensity of Australia's fortress. And though nets are a chance to refine skills, they can also become a safety blanket; low-pressure work that simply keeps the reactions quick.

Schedules are congested such that warm-up matches against state sides were unavailable (with uncertain value, as shown by England having played three before the 5-0 series loss in 2013-14). More difficult to justify is the disregard of domestic red-ball cricket as a worthwhile exercise more broadly, as shown by Jacob Bethell's wasted summer.

On-Field Shortcomings and Strategic Stagnation

Only playing prepares cricketers for the many situations they encounter, and it is in this area where England have so far fallen well short. The issue is not just with the batting – as poor as some of the shot selection has been – but an attack that seems leaderless. No bowler has demonstrated the persistence or control that the otherworldly Mitchell Starc and his teammates have displayed.

McCullum's free-spirit outlook was freeing during its initial year, an excellent, well diagnosed solution to shake off the lethargy that preceded it. The frustration now comes in how it has seemingly not evolved past that point – the lack of an upgrade to the original software that has seen form decline to an even record from their last 30 Tests.

Squad Spotlight and Team Dilemmas

Among them is the wicketkeeper-batter, a gifted player, undoubtedly, but one who is being mercilessly targeted on both edges and has dropped two crucial opportunities with the gloves. It probably does not help when your counterpart, the Australian keeper, has just delivered a masterful performance.

Based on McCullum's words after the match, England look likely to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – as is the case – is that a switch to a traditional Test setting triggers his top form, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unusual day-night format now in the past.

Another option is to enact the plan discovered during the series win in New Zealand 12 months ago by shifting Ollie Pope down to his preferred position as a active middle order player, handing him the wicketkeeping duties, and selecting a fresh face at first drop. A young contender scored runs for the Lions recently, or perhaps an all-rounder could perform a comparable function to Moeen Ali in 2023.

In the end, none of this is ideal, with Australia's superior basics having shattered pre-series optimism and forced the broader philosophy into the harsh glare of scrutiny.