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Brendon McCullum despised the term Bazball the moment it emerged, deeming it reductive and maybe foreseeing how it could be used as a weapon in the future. Right now, trailing 2-0 in an Test series in Australia that started with great expectations, it has turned into the subject of mockery from Australia.

But McCullum has not helped himself either. After the crushing loss at the Gabba, his claim that, if there was an issue, England were 'over-prepared' prior to the day-night Test was akin to attempting to extinguish a rubbish fire with petrol. It risks becoming his epitaph as national coach if performances do not improve.

On one level, one must admire his dedication to the philosophy. As much as McCullum claims to ignore external noise, he will have been acutely aware of an England team often described as freewheeling and lacking preparation.

The reality, as ever, is not so simple. England play as much golf during their necessary down time as their opponents and they practice equally hard. Before the Gabba Test, they trained for longer, completing five days to Australia's three, given their limited experience to the pink Kookaburra ball and the different seeing conditions.

The Debate of Readiness and Practice

The coach's point about being "excessively ready" was that those additional training days were his call – the instance he blinked in his conviction 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 refine technique, they can also become a comfort zone; zero consequence work that simply maintains the reflexes sharp.

Fixtures are congested such that warm-up matches against state sides were unavailable (with uncertain value, when you consider England playing three before the whitewash in 2013-14). What is harder to square is the dismissal of domestic red-ball cricket as a valuable experience in general, as shown by a young player's wasted summer.

On-Field Deficiencies and Strategic Lack of Evolution

Match practice alone hardens cricketers for the many situations they encounter, and it is here 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 without a spearhead. No bowler has demonstrated the persistence or discipline that the otherworldly Mitchell Starc and his support cast have delivered.

McCullum's unconventional outlook was freeing during its initial year, an effective, well diagnosed remedy to eradicate the torpor that came before. The frustration now stems from how it has apparently not evolved past that initial phase – the lack of an second phase to the initial philosophy that has seen form decline to an even record from their last 30 Tests.

Player Spotlight and Selection Decisions

Among them is Jamie Smith, a gifted player, no question, but one who is being constantly tested on both edges and missed two crucial opportunities as wicketkeeper. The situation is not aided when your opposite number, the Australian keeper, has just produced a masterful display.

Based on the coach's words in the aftermath, England look likely to keep the faith with Smith in Adelaide. The hope – similar to the broader situation – is that a switch to a traditional match environment triggers his best, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unfamiliar floodlit Test now out of the way.

Another option is to implement the plan stumbled across during the victorious series in New Zealand last year by moving Ollie Pope down to his more natural home as a busy No. 5 or 6, giving him the gloves, and selecting a new No 3. A young contender scored runs for the Lions recently, or perhaps an all-rounder could perform a comparable function to the former spinner in 2023.

In the end, these changes is perfect, however Australia's better fundamentals having shattered pre-series optimism and forced the broader philosophy into the harsh glare of scrutiny.