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The England head coach despised the term Bazball from its inception, deeming it reductive and perhaps anticipating how it might be used as a weapon down the line. Right now, trailing 2-0 in an away Ashes series that started with high hopes, it has turned into the subject of mockery from Australia.

But the coach has contributed to the problem either. Following the gut-wrenching defeat at the Gabba, his claim that, if there was an issue, England were 'over-prepared' prior to the day-night Test was like trying to put out a bin fire with petrol. It could become his lasting legacy as England head coach if results do not take an upturn.

On one level, you almost have to admire his dedication to the philosophy. While McCullum claims to ignore outside criticism, he must have been all too aware of an England team often described as freewheeling and underprepared.

The reality, as always, is more nuanced. England enjoy golf just as much during their scheduled breaks as their opponents and they practice equally hard. Before the Gabba Test, they trained for longer, logging five days to Australia's three, given their lack of exposure to the pink Kookaburra ball and the changes in lighting conditions.

The Debate of Preparation and Training

The coach's point about being "over-prepared" was that those five extra days were his call – the moment he blinked in his conviction that minimal preparation is best. It suggested a significant amount of mental energy was used up before they even stepped out in the intensity of Australia's fortress. And though nets are a chance to iron out technique, they can also become a safety blanket; low-pressure activity that mainly keeps the reflexes sharp.

Fixtures are tight such that warm-up matches against state sides were not possible (with no guarantee, when you consider England playing three before the 5-0 series loss in 2013-14). What is harder to square is the disregard of county championship cricket as a worthwhile exercise in general, as shown by a young player's wasted summer.

Match Deficiencies and Philosophical Lack of Evolution

Match practice alone prepares cricketers for the various scenarios they encounter, and it is here where England have thus far been found lacking. It is not only with the bat – harrowing as some of the decision-making has been – but an bowling attack that seems without a spearhead. No bowler has demonstrated the patience or control that the exceptional Mitchell Starc and his teammates have delivered.

The coach's unconventional outlook was freeing during its initial year, an effective, well diagnosed remedy to shake off the lethargy that came before. The frustration now stems from how it has apparently failed to move beyond that initial phase – the lack of an second phase to the original software that has seen form decline to 14 wins and 14 losses from their last 30 Tests.

Squad Focus and Team Dilemmas

One such player is Jamie Smith, a talent, no question, but one who is being constantly tested on both edges and has dropped two key chances with the gloves. It probably does not help when your opposite number, the Australian keeper, has just delivered a masterful performance.

Based on McCullum's words in the aftermath, England appear set to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – similar to the broader situation – is that a switch to a more familiar Test setting unleashes his best, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unusual day-night format now in the past.

The alternative is to implement the plan discovered during the victorious series in New Zealand 12 months ago by shifting Ollie Pope down to his preferred position as a busy No. 5 or 6, handing him the gloves, and picking a new No 3. A young contender scored runs for the Lions over the weekend, or maybe an all-rounder could perform a comparable function to the former spinner in 2023.

Ultimately, none of this is ideal, however Australia's superior basics having shattered pre-series optimism and forced the broader philosophy into the spotlight.