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Brendon McCullum detested the term Bazball since it was coined, viewing it as overly simplistic and maybe anticipating how it might be weaponised in the future. Right now, trailing 2-0 in an away Ashes series that began with high hopes, it has turned into the subject of Australian jokes.

But the coach has not helped himself either. After the gut-wrenching loss at the Gabba, his insistence that, if anything, England were 'over-prepared' before the pink-ball match was akin to attempting to extinguish a rubbish fire with gasoline. It could become his epitaph as England head coach if results do not take an upturn.

In a way, one must admire his commitment to the bit. As much as he claims to ignore outside criticism, he must 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 train just as much. Prior to the Gabba Test, they did more, completing five days compared to Australia's three, given their limited experience to the pink ball and the changes in seeing conditions.

The Question of Readiness and Training

The coach's point about being "over-prepared" was that those five extra days were his decision – the moment he wavered in his belief that less is more. It suggested a Test match's worth of mental energy was expended before they even took the field in the cauldron of Australia's fortress. And though nets are a chance to iron out skills, they can also become a safety blanket; zero consequence work that simply maintains the reflexes sharp.

Fixtures are congested such that pre-series state games were unavailable (with no guarantee, as shown by England having played 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 Jacob Bethell's unproductive season.

On-Field Shortcomings and Strategic Stagnation

Only playing hardens cricketers for the many situations they walk out to face, and it is in this area where England have so far fallen well short. It is not only with the bat – as poor as some of the decision-making has been – but an bowling attack that seems leaderless. No bowler has demonstrated the patience or control that the otherworldly Australian paceman and his teammates have delivered.

The coach's free-spirit outlook was liberating during its initial year, an excellent, well diagnosed solution to eradicate the lethargy that preceded it. The disappointment now stems from how it has seemingly not evolved past that point – an absence of an upgrade to the initial philosophy that has seen form taper off to an even record from their most recent matches.

Player Focus and Selection Decisions

Among them is the wicketkeeper-batter, a gifted player, undoubtedly, but one who is being constantly tested on each side of the bat and has dropped two crucial opportunities as wicketkeeper. The situation is not aided when your opposite number, Alex Carey, has just produced a masterful performance.

Based on the coach's words in the aftermath, England appear set to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The hope – similar to the broader situation – is that a switch to a traditional match environment unleashes his best, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unfamiliar day-night format now out of the way.

Another option is to implement the plan stumbled across during the series win in New Zealand last year by shifting Ollie Pope down to his more natural home as a busy middle order player, giving him the wicketkeeping duties, and selecting a new No 3. A young contender made some runs for the Lions over the weekend, or perhaps an all-rounder could fulfil a similar role to the former spinner in 2023.

Ultimately, these changes is ideal, however Australia's better fundamentals having destroyed pre-series optimism and pushed the broader philosophy into the harsh glare of scrutiny.