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The England head coach detested the term Bazball the moment it emerged, considering it overly simplistic and perhaps anticipating how it might be weaponised down the line. Right now, trailing 2-0 in an Test series in Australia that began with high hopes, it has turned into the subject of Australian jokes.

However the coach has contributed to the problem either. Following the crushing loss at the Gabba, his insistence that, if anything, England were 'too prepared' prior to the pink-ball match was like attempting to extinguish a bin fire with petrol. It risks becoming his lasting legacy as England head coach if performances do not take an upturn.

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

The truth, as always, is more nuanced. England enjoy golf just as much during their scheduled breaks as their rivals and they train just as much. Before the Gabba Test, they trained for longer, completing five days compared to Australia's three, due to their limited experience to the pink ball and the different lighting conditions.

The Debate of Readiness and Training

The coach's point about being "over-prepared" was that those additional training days were his decision – the instance he wavered in his belief that less is more. It suggested a significant amount of mental energy was used up before they even stepped out in the cauldron of Australia's stronghold. And though net practice are a chance to iron out technique, they can also become a safety blanket; zero consequence activity that mainly keeps the reflexes sharp.

Schedules are congested such that warm-up matches against state sides were unavailable (and no guarantee, as shown by England having played three before the 5-0 series loss in 2013-14). More difficult to justify is the disregard of county championship cricket as a valuable experience more broadly, evidenced by a young player's wasted summer.

Match Deficiencies and Strategic Stagnation

Only playing hardens cricketers for the various scenarios they encounter, and it is in this area where England have so far fallen well short. The issue is not just with the bat – harrowing as some of the shot selection has been – but an attack that seems without a spearhead. None has demonstrated the persistence or control that the exceptional Australian paceman and his teammates have displayed.

McCullum's unconventional approach was liberating during its initial year, an excellent, well diagnosed remedy to shake off the torpor that preceded it. The frustration now comes in how it has seemingly failed to move beyond that initial phase – the lack of an upgrade to the original software that has seen results taper off to an even record from their last 30 Tests.

Squad Focus and Team Dilemmas

One such player is the wicketkeeper-batter, a talent, no question, but one who is being constantly tested on each side of the bat and missed two crucial opportunities as wicketkeeper. The situation is not aided when your counterpart, the Australian keeper, has just delivered a virtuoso display.

Going by McCullum's comments 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 more familiar Test setting triggers his best, with Perth's trampoline surface and the unfamiliar 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 busy No. 5 or 6, giving him the gloves, and selecting a fresh face at first drop. Bethell made some runs for the Lions over the weekend, or perhaps Will Jacks could perform a similar role to the former spinner in 2023.

Ultimately, these changes is perfect, however Australia's better fundamentals having destroyed expectations and pushed the team's entire approach into the spotlight.