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Brendon McCullum detested the term Bazball from its inception, viewing it as overly simplistic and maybe anticipating how it might be weaponised in the future. Right now, 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 contributed to the problem either. After the crushing defeat at the Gabba, his insistence that, if there was an issue, England were 'too prepared' prior to the day-night Test was like trying to put out a bin fire with gasoline. It could become his lasting legacy as national coach if performances do not take an upturn.

In a way, one must admire his commitment to the bit. While McCullum says he block out outside criticism, he will have been acutely aware of an England team often described as carefree and underprepared.

The truth, as always, 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 to Australia's three, given their lack of exposure to the pink ball and the changes in seeing conditions.

The Question of Readiness and Practice

McCullum's point about being "excessively ready" was that those additional training days were his call – the moment he wavered in his conviction that less is more. It meant a significant amount of focus was expended before they even took the field in the cauldron of Australia's fortress. While net practice are a opportunity to iron out skills, they can also become a safety blanket; zero consequence activity that simply keeps the reflexes sharp.

Schedules are tight such that warm-up matches against state sides were unavailable (with no guarantee, as shown by 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 valuable experience in general, evidenced by a young player's unproductive season.

Match Shortcomings and Philosophical Stagnation

Only playing hardens cricketers for the many situations they walk out to face, and it is here where England have so far fallen well short. The issue is not just with the batting – as poor as some of the shot selection has been – but an bowling attack that seems without a spearhead. No bowler has demonstrated the persistence or discipline that the exceptional Mitchell Starc and his teammates have displayed.

McCullum's unconventional approach was liberating during its initial year, 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 original software that has seen form decline to an even record from their last 30 Tests.

Player Focus and Selection Decisions

One such player is the wicketkeeper-batter, a talent, undoubtedly, but one who is being mercilessly targeted on each side of the bat and has dropped two key chances with the gloves. The situation is not aided when your counterpart, the Australian keeper, has just delivered a masterful performance.

Based on the coach's comments in the aftermath, England appear set to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The hope – similar to the broader situation – is that a return to a traditional Test setting unleashes his best, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unfamiliar day-night format now out of the way.

The alternative is to enact the plan discovered during the series win in New Zealand 12 months ago by moving the batsman down to his preferred position as a busy middle order player, giving him the gloves, and picking a new No 3. A young contender scored runs for the Lions recently, or perhaps Will Jacks could fulfil a comparable function to Moeen Ali in 2023.

In the end, none of this is perfect, however Australia's better fundamentals having shattered pre-series optimism and pushed the team's entire approach into the spotlight.