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The England head coach loathed the moniker Bazball from its inception, considering it reductive and perhaps anticipating how it could be weaponised down the line. Currently, trailing 2-0 in an away Ashes series that began with high hopes, it has turned into the subject of Australian jokes.

However McCullum has not helped himself either. After the crushing loss at the Gabba, his claim that, if anything, England were 'too prepared' prior to the day-night Test was like trying to put out a rubbish fire with gasoline. 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 block out external noise, he will have been acutely aware of an England team increasingly characterised as carefree and underprepared.

The reality, 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 Preparation and Practice

McCullum's point about being "over-prepared" was that those five extra days were his decision – the moment he wavered in his conviction that minimal preparation is best. It meant a significant amount of mental energy was used up before they even took the field in the intensity of Australia's stronghold. While net practice are a chance to refine technique, they can also become a comfort zone; low-pressure work that mainly maintains the reactions quick.

Fixtures are tight such that pre-series state games were not possible (with uncertain value, as shown by England having played three before the whitewash in 2013-14). More difficult to justify is the disregard of county championship cricket as a worthwhile exercise in general, evidenced by a young player's unproductive season.

On-Field Shortcomings and Philosophical Stagnation

Match practice alone prepares cricketers for the various scenarios they encounter, and it is in this area where England have thus far fallen well short. The issue is not just with the bat – as poor as some of the shot selection has been – but an attack that seems leaderless. No bowler has demonstrated the persistence or control that the exceptional Mitchell Starc and his teammates have displayed.

The coach's free-spirit approach was freeing during its first 12 months, an excellent, well diagnosed solution to eradicate the lethargy that preceded it. The frustration now stems from how it has apparently failed to move beyond that point – the lack of an upgrade to the initial philosophy that has seen form decline to 14 wins and 14 losses from their last 30 Tests.

Player Focus and Selection Dilemmas

Among them is Jamie Smith, a gifted player, no question, but one who is being constantly tested on both edges and has dropped two crucial opportunities with the gloves. It probably does not help when your counterpart, Alex Carey, has just produced a virtuoso display.

Based on McCullum's comments after the match, England look likely to keep the faith with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – similar to the broader situation – is that a return to a traditional Test setting unleashes his top form, with Perth's trampoline surface and the unfamiliar day-night format now in the past.

The alternative is to enact the plan discovered during the victorious series in New Zealand last year by shifting Ollie Pope down to his preferred position as a busy middle order player, giving him the wicketkeeping duties, and picking a fresh face at first drop. A young contender made some runs for the Lions recently, or maybe Will Jacks could fulfil a comparable function to Moeen Ali in 2023.

Ultimately, none of this is ideal, however Australia's better fundamentals having shattered expectations and pushed the team's entire approach into the spotlight.