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Brendon McCullum loathed the moniker Bazball from its inception, viewing it as reductive and maybe foreseeing how it might be used as a weapon down the line. Currently, down 2-0 in an Test series in Australia that began with great expectations, it has turned into the subject of Australian jokes.

But the coach has not helped himself either. After the crushing loss at the Gabba, his insistence that, if anything, England were 'over-prepared' prior to the pink-ball match was like attempting to extinguish a rubbish fire with gasoline. It could become his epitaph as national coach if performances do not take an upturn.

In a way, one must admire his dedication to the philosophy. As much as he says he block out outside criticism, he will have been all too aware of an England team often described as carefree and lacking preparation.

The reality, as ever, is more nuanced. England enjoy golf just as much during their necessary down time as their rivals and they practice equally hard. Before the Gabba Test, they did more, logging five days to Australia's three, given their limited experience to the pink ball and the different seeing conditions.

The Question of Readiness and Practice

McCullum's point about being "over-prepared" was that those five extra days were his decision – the moment he blinked in his belief that minimal preparation is best. It suggested a significant amount of mental energy was expended before they even stepped out in the cauldron of Australia's fortress. And though net practice are a chance to refine technique, they can also become a comfort zone; zero consequence work that simply keeps the reactions quick.

Fixtures are congested such that pre-series state games were unavailable (with uncertain value, as shown by England having played three before the whitewash in 2013-14). What is harder to square is the dismissal of county championship cricket as a worthwhile exercise in general, evidenced by Jacob Bethell's wasted summer.

Match Deficiencies and Philosophical Stagnation

Only playing hardens cricketers for the various scenarios they encounter, and it is in this area where England have so far been found lacking. The issue is not just with the bat – as poor as some of the shot selection has been – but an attack that seems without a spearhead. No bowler has shown the persistence or control that the otherworldly Australian paceman and his teammates have displayed.

McCullum's unconventional outlook was liberating during its first 12 months, an excellent, apt remedy to shake off the lethargy that came before. The disappointment now stems from how it has apparently not evolved past that initial phase – an absence of an second phase to the initial philosophy that has seen results decline to an even record from their most recent matches.

Player Spotlight and Team Decisions

One such player is Jamie Smith, a gifted player, no question, but one who is being constantly tested on both edges and missed two crucial opportunities as wicketkeeper. It probably does not help when your counterpart, the Australian keeper, has just delivered a masterful performance.

Based on the coach's words after the match, England appear set to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – as is the case – is that a switch to a traditional match environment triggers his top form, with Perth's trampoline surface and the unusual day-night format now out of the way.

The alternative is to implement the plan stumbled across during the victorious series in New Zealand 12 months ago by moving Ollie Pope down to his more natural home as a active No. 5 or 6, giving him the gloves, and picking a new No 3. A young contender scored runs for the Lions recently, or maybe Will Jacks could fulfil a comparable function to the former spinner in 2023.

In the end, none of this is perfect, however Australia's superior basics having shattered expectations and pushed the broader philosophy into the harsh glare of scrutiny.