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The England head coach despised the term Bazball from its inception, deeming it overly simplistic and perhaps foreseeing how it might be weaponised in the future. Currently, trailing 2-0 in an away Ashes series that began with high hopes, it has turned into the subject of mockery from Australia.

But McCullum has not helped himself either. After the gut-wrenching defeat at the Gabba, his insistence that, if anything, England were 'too prepared' before the day-night Test was akin to trying to put out a rubbish fire with petrol. It risks becoming his epitaph as England head coach if performances do not improve.

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

The truth, as ever, is more nuanced. England play as much golf during their necessary down time as their rivals and they practice equally hard. Prior to the Gabba Test, they did more, completing five days compared to Australia's three, given their limited experience to the pink Kookaburra ball and the different seeing conditions.

The Question of Readiness and Training

McCullum's point about being "excessively ready" was that those additional training days were his call – the instance he blinked in his conviction that less is more. It suggested a significant amount of mental energy was used up before they even took the field in the cauldron of Australia's fortress. And though nets are a opportunity to iron out technique, they can also become a safety blanket; low-pressure activity that mainly keeps the reactions quick.

Schedules are congested such that pre-series state games were unavailable (and no guarantee, as shown by 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 more broadly, as shown by a young player's unproductive season.

Match Deficiencies and Strategic Lack of Evolution

Match practice alone hardens cricketers for the many situations they walk out to face, and it is here where England have so far been found lacking. It is not only with the bat – harrowing as some of the shot selection has been – but an attack that seems without a spearhead. No bowler has shown the patience or control that the exceptional Mitchell Starc and his support cast have displayed.

The coach's unconventional outlook was freeing during its first 12 months, an excellent, well diagnosed solution to eradicate the lethargy that preceded it. The frustration now comes in how it has apparently not evolved past that point – an absence of an second phase to the initial philosophy that has seen results taper off to an even record from their most recent matches.

Squad Spotlight and Team Decisions

Among them is the wicketkeeper-batter, a gifted player, no question, but one who is being constantly tested on each side of the bat and missed two crucial opportunities with the gloves. The situation is not aided when your counterpart, Alex Carey, has just produced a masterful display.

Based on McCullum's words in the aftermath, England appear set to keep the faith with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – similar to the broader situation – is that a return to a traditional Test setting triggers his best, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unusual day-night format now out of the way.

Another option is to enact the plan discovered during the series win in New Zealand 12 months ago by shifting Ollie Pope down to his more natural home as a busy No. 5 or 6, giving him the wicketkeeping duties, and selecting a new No 3. Bethell made some runs for the Lions over the weekend, or perhaps Will Jacks could perform a similar role to the former spinner in 2023.

Ultimately, none of this is perfect, with Australia's better fundamentals having destroyed pre-series optimism and forced the team's entire approach into the spotlight.