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Brendon McCullum detested the moniker Bazball from its inception, viewing it as overly simplistic and perhaps foreseeing how it might be used as a weapon in the future. Currently, trailing 2-0 in an away Ashes series that began with high hopes, it has turned into the subject of Australian jokes.

But the coach has not helped himself either. Following the crushing loss at the Gabba, his insistence that, if there was an issue, England were 'too prepared' before the day-night Test was akin to attempting to extinguish a bin fire with petrol. It risks becoming his epitaph as England head coach if results do not improve.

On one level, you almost have to admire his commitment to the bit. As much as McCullum says he ignore outside criticism, he must have been all too aware of an England team increasingly characterised as carefree and lacking preparation.

The truth, as ever, is more nuanced. England enjoy golf just as much during their scheduled breaks as their rivals and they train just as much. Before 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 changes in lighting conditions.

The Question of Readiness and Training

McCullum's point about being "over-prepared" was that those five extra days were his decision – the moment he wavered in his belief that less is more. It suggested a Test match's worth of mental energy was expended before they even stepped out in the intensity of Australia's stronghold. While nets are a chance to refine skills, they can also become a safety blanket; zero consequence work that mainly maintains the reflexes sharp.

Fixtures are congested such that pre-series state games were unavailable (and uncertain value, 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 valuable experience in general, evidenced by a young player's unproductive season.

On-Field Deficiencies and Strategic Stagnation

Only playing prepares cricketers for the various scenarios they encounter, and it is here where England have so far fallen well short. The issue is not just with the bat – as poor as some of the shot selection has been – but an attack that seems leaderless. No bowler has demonstrated the patience or control that the otherworldly Australian paceman and his teammates have displayed.

The coach's free-spirit approach was freeing during its first 12 months, an effective, well diagnosed remedy to shake off the torpor that came before. The disappointment now stems from how it has seemingly not evolved past that point – an absence of an second phase to the initial philosophy that has seen results decline to an even record from their most recent matches.

Player Focus and Selection Dilemmas

One such player is Jamie Smith, a talent, undoubtedly, but one who is being constantly tested on each side of the bat and missed two key chances with the gloves. The situation is not aided when your counterpart, Alex Carey, has just produced a virtuoso performance.

Going by McCullum's words after the match, England look likely to keep the faith with Smith in Adelaide. The hope – similar to the broader situation – is that a switch to a traditional match environment triggers his top form, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unusual floodlit Test now out of the way.

Another option is to implement the plan discovered during the series win in New Zealand 12 months ago by moving 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. 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.

In the end, these changes is perfect, however Australia's superior basics having shattered pre-series optimism and pushed the team's entire approach into the harsh glare of scrutiny.