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Brendon McCullum detested the moniker Bazball the moment it emerged, deeming it overly simplistic and perhaps foreseeing how it might be weaponised down the line. Currently, trailing 2-0 in an away Ashes series that began with high hopes, it has become the butt of Australian jokes.

But McCullum has contributed to the problem either. Following the gut-wrenching loss at the Gabba, his insistence that, if there was an issue, England were 'too prepared' prior to the day-night Test was like attempting to extinguish a rubbish fire with petrol. It risks becoming his lasting legacy as England head coach if results do not take an upturn.

In a way, you almost have to admire his commitment to the bit. As much as he claims to block out outside criticism, he will have been acutely aware of an England team often described as carefree and underprepared.

The truth, as always, is not so simple. England enjoy golf just as much during their scheduled breaks as their opponents and they practice equally hard. Prior to the Gabba Test, they did more, completing five days to Australia's three, due to their lack of exposure to the pink Kookaburra ball and the changes in lighting conditions.

The Debate of Readiness and Practice

McCullum's point about being "over-prepared" was that those five extra days were his call – the moment he blinked in his conviction that less is more. It suggested a Test match's worth of focus was expended before they even took the field in the intensity of Australia's fortress. While nets are a chance to refine technique, they can also become a safety blanket; zero consequence activity that mainly keeps the reflexes sharp.

Fixtures are congested such that pre-series state games were not possible (with uncertain value, as shown by England having played 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 in general, as shown by a young player's wasted summer.

On-Field Deficiencies and Strategic Stagnation

Match practice alone prepares cricketers for the various scenarios they encounter, and it is in this area where England have thus far been found lacking. It is not only with the batting – harrowing as some of the shot selection has been – but an attack that seems leaderless. None has demonstrated the persistence or control that the otherworldly Australian paceman and his support cast have displayed.

The coach's unconventional outlook was freeing during its first 12 months, an effective, apt solution to eradicate the lethargy that preceded it. The frustration now comes in how it has apparently not evolved past that initial phase – an absence of an upgrade to the initial philosophy that has seen results decline to an even record from their most recent matches.

Squad Spotlight and Team Dilemmas

One such player is Jamie Smith, a talent, no question, but one who is being constantly tested on each side of the bat and has dropped two key chances as wicketkeeper. It probably does not help when your counterpart, Alex Carey, has just delivered a masterful display.

Based on the coach's comments after the match, England look likely to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – as is the case – is that a return to a more familiar 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 enact the plan stumbled across during the victorious series in New Zealand last year by moving the batsman down to his preferred position as a active No. 5 or 6, handing him the gloves, and selecting a fresh face at first drop. Bethell scored runs for the Lions recently, or perhaps an all-rounder could perform a similar role to Moeen Ali in 2023.

Ultimately, these changes is perfect, with Australia's better fundamentals having destroyed pre-series optimism and pushed the team's entire approach into the harsh glare of scrutiny.