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Brendon McCullum despised the label Bazball the moment it emerged, considering it reductive and perhaps foreseeing how it might be weaponised down the line. Currently, down 2-0 in an away Ashes series that started with high hopes, it has turned into the subject of Australian jokes.

But the coach has contributed to the problem 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 attempting to extinguish a rubbish fire with gasoline. It risks becoming his epitaph as national coach if results do not take an upturn.

On one level, one must admire his commitment to the bit. As much as he says he block out outside criticism, he must have been all too aware of an England team often described as freewheeling and lacking preparation.

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, logging five days compared to Australia's three, due to their limited experience to the pink ball and the changes in lighting conditions.

The Debate of Preparation and Practice

McCullum's point about being "excessively ready" was that those additional training days were his decision – the moment he wavered in his conviction that less is more. It meant a significant amount of focus was used up before they even stepped out in the cauldron of Australia's stronghold. And though nets are a opportunity to iron out skills, they can also become a comfort zone; zero consequence work that mainly keeps the reactions quick.

Schedules are congested such that warm-up matches against state sides were unavailable (with no guarantee, as shown by England having played three before the whitewash in 2013-14). More difficult to justify is the dismissal of county championship cricket as a valuable experience in general, evidenced by Jacob Bethell's unproductive season.

Match Deficiencies and Philosophical Stagnation

Only playing hardens cricketers for the many situations they encounter, and it is in this area where England have thus far fallen well short. The issue is not just with the bat – harrowing as some of the shot selection has been – but an bowling attack that seems without a spearhead. No bowler has shown the persistence or discipline that the otherworldly Australian paceman and his support cast have delivered.

McCullum's free-spirit outlook was freeing during its first 12 months, an effective, well diagnosed solution to shake off the lethargy that came before. The frustration now comes in how it has seemingly failed to move beyond that point – the lack of an upgrade to the initial philosophy that has seen results taper off to an even record from their last 30 Tests.

Squad Focus and Team Dilemmas

One such player is the wicketkeeper-batter, a talent, no question, but one who is being mercilessly targeted on each side of the bat and has dropped two crucial opportunities as wicketkeeper. The situation is not aided when your opposite number, Alex Carey, has just produced a virtuoso display.

Based on the coach's comments after the match, England appear set to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – as is the case – is that a return to a more familiar Test setting triggers his best, with Perth's trampoline surface and the unusual floodlit Test now in the past.

Another option is to enact the plan stumbled across during the victorious series in New Zealand 12 months ago by moving the batsman down to his more natural home as a busy middle order player, handing him the wicketkeeping duties, and picking a new No 3. A young contender scored runs for the Lions recently, or perhaps an all-rounder could fulfil a comparable function 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 spotlight.