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Brendon McCullum loathed the label Bazball the moment it emerged, deeming it reductive and perhaps anticipating how it could be weaponised down the line. Right now, down 2-0 in an away Ashes series that began with high hopes, it has become the butt of Australian jokes.

However the coach has contributed to the problem either. Following the crushing defeat at the Gabba, his insistence that, if there was an issue, England were 'over-prepared' prior to the pink-ball match was akin to trying to put out a bin fire with petrol. It could become his epitaph as England head coach if results do not take an upturn.

In a way, one must admire his dedication to the philosophy. As much as he claims to ignore outside criticism, he must have been acutely aware of an England team often described as freewheeling and underprepared.

The truth, as always, is not so simple. 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, completing five days to Australia's three, due to their lack of exposure to the pink Kookaburra ball and the different lighting conditions.

The Debate of Readiness and Practice

McCullum's point about being "over-prepared" was that those five extra days were his decision – the instance he wavered in his belief that less is more. It meant a Test match's worth of focus was expended before they even took the field in the intensity of Australia's stronghold. While net practice are a chance to iron out technique, they can also become a comfort zone; low-pressure work that simply keeps the reflexes sharp.

Fixtures are tight such that warm-up matches against state sides were unavailable (with uncertain value, when you consider England having played three before the 5-0 series loss in 2013-14). What is harder to square is the dismissal of domestic red-ball cricket as a worthwhile exercise in general, evidenced by Jacob Bethell'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 thus far fallen well short. The issue is not just with the batting – harrowing as some of the shot selection has been – but an attack that seems leaderless. No bowler has demonstrated the persistence or control that the exceptional Mitchell Starc and his teammates have delivered.

McCullum's free-spirit outlook was liberating during its initial year, an effective, well diagnosed remedy to eradicate the lethargy that preceded it. The disappointment now comes in how it has seemingly not evolved past that point – an absence of an upgrade to the initial philosophy that has seen form taper off to 14 wins and 14 losses from their most recent matches.

Squad Spotlight and Team Dilemmas

One such player is Jamie Smith, a gifted player, no question, but one who is being mercilessly targeted 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 virtuoso performance.

Based on the coach's words 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 triggers his top form, with Perth's trampoline surface and the unusual day-night format now in the past.

The alternative is to enact the plan stumbled across during the victorious series in New Zealand 12 months ago by shifting Ollie Pope down to his preferred position as a active middle order player, handing him the wicketkeeping duties, and picking a fresh face at first drop. A young contender scored runs for the Lions over the weekend, or maybe Will Jacks could perform a comparable function to the former spinner in 2023.

Ultimately, none of this is ideal, however Australia's superior basics having shattered expectations and pushed the team's entire approach into the spotlight.