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The England head coach despised the term Bazball from its inception, deeming it overly simplistic and maybe anticipating how it might be weaponised down the line. Currently, trailing 2-0 in an away Ashes series that started with great expectations, it has turned into the subject of Australian jokes.

But McCullum has contributed to the problem either. After the gut-wrenching defeat at the Gabba, his insistence that, if there was an issue, England were 'over-prepared' before the pink-ball match was akin to trying to put out a bin fire with petrol. It could become his lasting legacy as England head coach if results do not improve.

In a way, you almost have to admire his dedication to the philosophy. While he claims to ignore external noise, he must have been acutely aware of an England team increasingly characterised as carefree and lacking preparation.

The reality, as always, 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, completing five days to Australia's three, due to their limited experience to the pink Kookaburra ball and the different lighting conditions.

The Debate of Preparation and Training

The coach'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 Test match's worth of focus was used up before they even stepped out in the cauldron of Australia's fortress. And though nets are a opportunity to iron out skills, they can also become a comfort zone; zero consequence work that mainly keeps the reflexes sharp.

Schedules are tight such that warm-up matches against state sides were unavailable (and no guarantee, as shown by England playing 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 worthwhile exercise in general, evidenced by Jacob Bethell's unproductive season.

On-Field Shortcomings and Philosophical Stagnation

Match practice alone prepares cricketers for the many situations they walk out to face, and it is here where England have so far been found lacking. The issue is not just with the bat – harrowing as some of the decision-making has been – but an attack that seems without a spearhead. No bowler has shown the patience or control that the exceptional Mitchell Starc and his teammates have displayed.

McCullum's unconventional outlook was freeing during its initial year, an excellent, apt solution to eradicate the lethargy that came before. The frustration now comes in how it has seemingly failed to move beyond that initial phase – an absence of an second phase to the initial philosophy that has seen results decline to 14 wins and 14 losses from their last 30 Tests.

Player Focus and Selection Decisions

One such player 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. The situation is not aided when your opposite number, Alex Carey, has just produced a virtuoso display.

Going by the coach's comments in the aftermath, England look likely to keep the faith with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – similar to the broader situation – is that a switch to a traditional Test setting triggers his best, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unusual day-night format now in the past.

The alternative is to implement the plan stumbled across during the victorious series in New Zealand last year by shifting the batsman down to his preferred position as a active middle order player, giving him the wicketkeeping duties, and selecting a new No 3. Bethell scored runs for the Lions over the weekend, or maybe an all-rounder could fulfil a similar role to Moeen Ali in 2023.

In the end, these changes is perfect, with Australia's better fundamentals having destroyed expectations and pushed the broader philosophy into the harsh glare of scrutiny.