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Brendon McCullum loathed the term Bazball the moment it emerged, viewing it as overly simplistic and maybe foreseeing how it could be used as a weapon in the future. Right now, trailing 2-0 in an away Ashes series that started with high hopes, 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 'too prepared' prior to the pink-ball match was like attempting to extinguish a rubbish fire with petrol. It could become his epitaph as national coach if performances do not improve.

On one level, one must admire his dedication to the philosophy. While he says he block out outside criticism, he will have been acutely aware of an England team often described as freewheeling and lacking preparation.

The truth, as ever, is not so simple. 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, completing five days to Australia's three, given their lack of exposure to the pink ball and the changes in lighting conditions.

The Debate of Readiness and Practice

The coach's point about being "over-prepared" was that those additional training days were his call – the moment he blinked in his belief that less is more. It meant a significant amount of mental energy was used up before they even stepped out in the intensity of Australia's stronghold. And though nets are a opportunity to refine skills, they can also become a comfort zone; zero consequence work that mainly maintains the reactions quick.

Fixtures are tight such that pre-series state games were unavailable (and no guarantee, when you consider England playing 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, evidenced by Jacob Bethell's wasted summer.

Match Shortcomings and Philosophical Stagnation

Only playing prepares cricketers for the many situations they encounter, and it is in this area where England have thus far fallen well short. It is not only with the bat – as poor as some of the shot selection has been – but an attack that seems leaderless. None has demonstrated the patience or discipline that the otherworldly Mitchell Starc and his teammates have delivered.

The coach's unconventional outlook was liberating during its initial year, an effective, well diagnosed remedy to shake off the torpor that preceded it. The frustration now stems from how it has seemingly failed to move beyond that initial phase – the lack of an upgrade to the initial philosophy that has seen form taper off to an even record from their most recent matches.

Squad Spotlight and Selection Dilemmas

Among them is Jamie Smith, a talent, no question, but one who is being mercilessly targeted on both edges and missed two crucial opportunities with the gloves. It probably does not help when your counterpart, Alex Carey, has just delivered a masterful display.

Based on McCullum's words after the match, England look likely to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The hope – similar to the broader situation – is that a switch to a more familiar match environment triggers his top form, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unfamiliar floodlit Test now out of the way.

The alternative is to enact the plan discovered during the series win in New Zealand 12 months ago by shifting the batsman down to his preferred position as a active middle order player, handing him the gloves, and selecting a new No 3. A young contender scored runs for the Lions over the weekend, or perhaps Will Jacks could fulfil a comparable function to the former spinner in 2023.

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