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Brendon McCullum loathed the moniker Bazball from its inception, considering it reductive and maybe anticipating how it might be used as a weapon in the future. Right now, trailing 2-0 in an Test series in Australia that began with high hopes, it has become the butt of mockery from Australia.

But McCullum has not helped himself either. Following the gut-wrenching defeat at the Gabba, his claim that, if there was an issue, 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 improve.

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

The reality, as always, is not so simple. England play as much golf during their necessary down time as their rivals and they practice equally hard. Before the Gabba Test, they did more, logging five days compared to Australia's three, due to their lack of exposure to the pink Kookaburra ball and the different lighting conditions.

The Debate of Readiness and Training

The coach's point about being "excessively ready" was that those additional training days were his decision – the instance he wavered in his belief that minimal preparation is best. It suggested a Test match's worth of mental energy was used up before they even took the field in the cauldron of Australia's stronghold. While nets are a chance to iron out technique, they can also become a safety blanket; zero consequence activity that mainly keeps the reflexes sharp.

Fixtures are tight such that pre-series state games were unavailable (with uncertain value, as shown by England having played three before the 5-0 series loss in 2013-14). What is harder to square is the disregard of county championship cricket as a worthwhile exercise more broadly, evidenced by Jacob Bethell's unproductive season.

Match Deficiencies and Strategic Stagnation

Match practice alone prepares cricketers for the many situations they encounter, and it is in this area where England have so far been found lacking. The issue is not just with the bat – as poor as some of the decision-making has been – but an bowling attack that seems leaderless. None has shown the patience or discipline that the otherworldly Mitchell Starc and his support cast have delivered.

The coach's unconventional outlook was freeing during its first 12 months, an effective, apt solution to eradicate the lethargy that preceded it. The disappointment now stems from how it has apparently failed to move beyond that point – an absence of an second phase to the original software that has seen results taper off to an even record from their last 30 Tests.

Player Spotlight and Team Dilemmas

Among them is Jamie Smith, a talent, undoubtedly, but one who is being mercilessly targeted on each side of the bat and missed two key chances as wicketkeeper. It probably does not help when your counterpart, Alex Carey, has just produced a masterful display.

Based on McCullum's words in the aftermath, England look likely to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The hope – as is the case – is that a return to a more familiar Test setting unleashes his top form, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unfamiliar day-night format now out of the way.

The alternative is to implement the plan discovered during the victorious series in New Zealand last year by moving the batsman down to his more natural home as a active No. 5 or 6, giving him the gloves, and picking a new No 3. Bethell made some runs for the Lions over the weekend, or perhaps an all-rounder could perform a similar role to Moeen Ali in 2023.

Ultimately, none of this is ideal, with Australia's superior basics having shattered pre-series optimism and forced the team's entire approach into the harsh glare of scrutiny.