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Brendon McCullum detested the term Bazball since it was coined, viewing it as overly simplistic and maybe foreseeing how it might be used as a weapon in the future. Currently, down 2-0 in an Test series in Australia 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 anything, England were 'over-prepared' before the day-night Test was akin to trying to put out a rubbish fire with gasoline. 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 McCullum says he block out external noise, he must have been all too aware of an England team often described as carefree and underprepared.

The truth, as always, is not so simple. England enjoy golf just as much during their necessary down time as their rivals and they train just as much. Before the Gabba Test, they trained for longer, logging five days compared to Australia's three, due to their lack of exposure to the pink ball and the changes in lighting conditions.

The Debate of Readiness and Training

The coach's point about being "excessively ready" was that those additional training days were his call – the moment he wavered in his conviction that minimal preparation is best. It meant a significant amount of mental energy was used up before they even took the field in the cauldron of Australia's stronghold. While nets are a chance to iron out skills, they can also become a safety blanket; low-pressure activity that mainly maintains the reflexes sharp.

Fixtures are tight such that warm-up matches against state sides were unavailable (and uncertain value, when you consider England playing three before the whitewash 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 Lack of Evolution

Only playing prepares cricketers for the many situations they walk out to face, and it is in this area where England have thus far fallen well short. The issue is not just with the batting – as poor as some of the decision-making has been – but an attack that seems leaderless. No bowler has demonstrated the persistence or discipline that the exceptional Mitchell Starc and his teammates have displayed.

McCullum's free-spirit approach was freeing during its initial year, an excellent, apt solution 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 upgrade to the original software that has seen results taper off to an even record from their most recent matches.

Player Spotlight and Team Decisions

Among them is Jamie Smith, a gifted player, undoubtedly, but one who is being constantly tested on both edges and has dropped two crucial opportunities as wicketkeeper. It probably does not help when your counterpart, Alex Carey, has just delivered a masterful performance.

Going by McCullum's comments in the aftermath, England appear set to keep the faith with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – similar to the broader situation – is that a switch to a traditional Test setting unleashes his best, with Perth's trampoline surface and the unfamiliar floodlit Test now in the past.

Another option is to implement 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 gloves, and selecting a new No 3. Bethell scored runs for the Lions recently, or perhaps an all-rounder could fulfil a comparable function to the former spinner in 2023.

Ultimately, these changes is perfect, with Australia's superior basics having destroyed pre-series optimism and forced the broader philosophy into the harsh glare of scrutiny.