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The England head coach despised the label Bazball the moment it emerged, deeming it overly simplistic and perhaps anticipating how it might be weaponised down the line. Currently, trailing 2-0 in an away Ashes series that started with high hopes, it has become the butt of Australian jokes.

However the coach has not helped himself either. Following the crushing loss at the Gabba, his claim that, if there was an issue, England were 'over-prepared' prior to the day-night Test was like attempting to extinguish a rubbish fire with gasoline. It could become his lasting legacy as national coach if performances do not improve.

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

The truth, as always, is more nuanced. England play as much golf during their necessary down time as their rivals and they practice equally hard. Prior to the Gabba Test, they trained for longer, completing five days compared to Australia's three, due to their lack of exposure to the pink ball and the changes in seeing conditions.

The Debate of Readiness and Practice

McCullum'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 meant a Test match's worth of focus was used up before they even took the field in the intensity of Australia's fortress. And though net practice are a opportunity to iron out technique, they can also become a safety blanket; zero consequence work that simply keeps the reflexes sharp.

Fixtures are congested such that pre-series state games were not possible (and uncertain value, when you consider England playing three before the 5-0 series loss in 2013-14). More difficult to justify is the dismissal of domestic red-ball cricket as a worthwhile exercise more broadly, as shown by Jacob Bethell's unproductive season.

Match Shortcomings and Philosophical Lack of Evolution

Match practice alone hardens cricketers for the many situations they encounter, and it is in this area where England have thus far been found lacking. It is not only with the bat – harrowing as some of the shot selection has been – but an attack that seems leaderless. None has shown the patience or control that the otherworldly Mitchell Starc and his support cast have delivered.

The coach's free-spirit approach was freeing during its first 12 months, an excellent, well diagnosed solution to shake off the lethargy that came before. The disappointment now stems from how it has seemingly not evolved past that initial phase – the lack of an upgrade to the original software that has seen form taper off to an even record from their last 30 Tests.

Squad Spotlight and Team Dilemmas

Among them is the wicketkeeper-batter, a gifted player, undoubtedly, but one who is being mercilessly targeted on each side of the bat and missed two key chances as wicketkeeper. The situation is not aided when your opposite number, Alex Carey, has just produced a masterful display.

Based on the coach's words in the aftermath, England appear set to keep the faith with Smith in Adelaide. The hope – similar to the broader situation – is that a return to a traditional match environment unleashes his best, with Perth's trampoline surface and the unusual day-night format now in the past.

The alternative is to implement the plan discovered during the series win in New Zealand 12 months ago by shifting the batsman down to his preferred position as a busy No. 5 or 6, handing him the gloves, and selecting a new No 3. Bethell made some runs for the Lions recently, or perhaps Will Jacks could perform a comparable function to the former spinner in 2023.

In the end, these changes is ideal, however Australia's superior basics having destroyed expectations and forced the broader philosophy into the harsh glare of scrutiny.