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Brendon McCullum loathed the label Bazball from its inception, deeming it overly simplistic and maybe anticipating how it could be weaponised in the future. Right now, trailing 2-0 in an Test series in Australia that began with great expectations, it has turned into the subject of Australian jokes.

But McCullum has not helped himself either. Following the crushing defeat 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 petrol. It could become his lasting legacy as national coach if results do not take an upturn.

In a way, you almost have to admire his commitment to the bit. As much as McCullum says he ignore external noise, he must have been all too aware of an England team increasingly characterised as carefree and lacking preparation.

The truth, as always, is more nuanced. England play as much golf during their necessary down time as their rivals and they train just as much. Prior to the Gabba Test, they trained for longer, completing five days to Australia's three, given their limited experience to the pink ball and the changes in lighting 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 Test match's worth of focus was expended before they even stepped out in the intensity of Australia's fortress. And though net practice are a chance to iron out technique, they can also become a comfort zone; low-pressure activity that simply maintains the reactions quick.

Fixtures are congested such that warm-up matches against state sides were unavailable (with uncertain value, as shown by England playing three before the whitewash in 2013-14). More difficult to justify is the dismissal of domestic red-ball cricket as a worthwhile exercise more broadly, as shown by a young player's wasted summer.

Match Deficiencies and Philosophical Stagnation

Match practice alone hardens cricketers for the various scenarios they walk out to face, and it is in this area where England have thus far been found lacking. The issue is not just with the batting – as poor as some of the shot selection has been – but an attack that seems without a spearhead. No bowler has demonstrated the persistence or discipline that the otherworldly Australian paceman and his support cast have displayed.

McCullum's unconventional outlook was freeing during its initial year, an excellent, apt solution to shake off the torpor that preceded it. The frustration now comes in how it has apparently failed to move beyond that point – an absence of an second phase to the initial philosophy that has seen results decline to an even record from their last 30 Tests.

Squad Focus and Selection 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 key chances with the gloves. It probably does not help when your opposite number, the Australian keeper, has just produced a virtuoso display.

Going by McCullum's comments in the aftermath, England appear set to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – similar to the broader situation – is that a return to a more familiar match environment triggers his best, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unusual day-night format now in the past.

Another option is to implement the plan discovered during the victorious series in New Zealand last year by shifting the batsman down to his preferred position as a active No. 5 or 6, handing him the wicketkeeping duties, and selecting a new No 3. Bethell made some runs for the Lions over the weekend, or maybe an all-rounder could perform a similar role to Moeen Ali in 2023.

In the end, none of this is perfect, with Australia's superior basics having shattered pre-series optimism and pushed the broader philosophy into the spotlight.