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The England head coach despised the label Bazball the moment it emerged, deeming it reductive and perhaps foreseeing how it might be weaponised in the future. Right now, down 2-0 in an Test series in Australia that started with great expectations, it has become the butt of Australian jokes.

But McCullum has not helped himself either. Following the crushing loss at the Gabba, his insistence that, if there was an issue, England were 'over-prepared' before the day-night Test was akin to trying to put out a rubbish fire with petrol. It could become his epitaph as national coach if results do not take an upturn.

In a way, one must admire his dedication to the philosophy. While McCullum says he block out external noise, he will have been all too aware of an England team often described as carefree and underprepared.

The reality, as ever, is more nuanced. England play as much golf during their scheduled breaks as their opponents and they practice equally hard. Prior to the Gabba Test, they did more, logging five days to Australia's three, given their lack of exposure to the pink Kookaburra ball and the changes in seeing conditions.

The Question of Readiness and Training

McCullum's point about being "excessively ready" was that those additional training days were his call – the moment he wavered in his conviction that minimal preparation is best. It suggested a significant amount of focus was used up before they even took the field in the intensity of Australia's fortress. While nets are a opportunity to iron out technique, they can also become a safety blanket; zero consequence activity 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). More difficult to justify is the dismissal of domestic red-ball cricket as a valuable experience more broadly, evidenced by Jacob Bethell's wasted summer.

On-Field Deficiencies 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. The issue is not just with the bat – as poor as some of the decision-making has been – but an attack that seems leaderless. No bowler has shown the persistence or discipline that the otherworldly Mitchell Starc and his support cast have delivered.

The coach's unconventional approach was freeing during its initial year, an excellent, well diagnosed remedy to shake off the torpor that preceded it. The disappointment now stems from how it has seemingly not evolved past that initial phase – the lack of an second phase to the initial philosophy that has seen form taper off to an even record from their most recent matches.

Squad Spotlight and Team 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 missed two crucial opportunities with the gloves. It probably does not help when your counterpart, Alex Carey, has just delivered a masterful display.

Going by McCullum's words after the match, England look likely to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – as is the case – is that a return to a traditional Test setting triggers his top form, with Perth's trampoline surface and the unfamiliar day-night format now out of the way.

Another option is to implement the plan discovered during the victorious series in New Zealand 12 months ago by shifting Ollie Pope down to his more natural home as a busy No. 5 or 6, handing him the gloves, and picking a fresh face at first drop. A young contender made some runs for the Lions recently, or perhaps an all-rounder could perform a similar role to Moeen Ali in 2023.

In the end, these changes is perfect, with Australia's superior basics having shattered expectations and forced the team's entire approach into the harsh glare of scrutiny.