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The England head coach despised the label Bazball from its inception, considering it overly simplistic and maybe foreseeing how it might be used as a weapon down the line. Currently, trailing 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. Following the crushing 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 gasoline. It risks becoming his lasting legacy as England head coach if performances do not take an upturn.

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

The truth, as always, is more nuanced. England enjoy golf just as much during their necessary down time as their opponents and they practice equally hard. 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 seeing conditions.

The Debate of Preparation and Practice

The coach's point about being "over-prepared" was that those additional training days were his decision – the moment he blinked in his conviction that minimal preparation is best. It suggested a significant amount of focus was used up before they even stepped out in the cauldron of Australia's stronghold. And though net practice are a opportunity to iron out technique, they can also become a safety blanket; zero consequence work that mainly keeps the reflexes sharp.

Schedules are congested such that pre-series state games were unavailable (with no guarantee, as shown by England having played 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, as shown by a young player's wasted summer.

On-Field Deficiencies and Philosophical Stagnation

Only playing prepares cricketers for the many situations they walk out to face, and it is here where England have so far been found lacking. The issue is not just with the bat – as poor as some of the shot selection has been – but an bowling attack that seems without a spearhead. None has demonstrated the patience or control that the exceptional Mitchell Starc and his teammates have displayed.

The coach's unconventional approach was liberating during its initial year, an excellent, well diagnosed solution to shake off the torpor that came before. The disappointment now comes in how it has apparently failed to move beyond that point – the lack of an upgrade to the original software that has seen form taper off to 14 wins and 14 losses from their most recent matches.

Player Spotlight and Team Decisions

One such player is the wicketkeeper-batter, a gifted player, undoubtedly, but one who is being mercilessly targeted on both edges and missed two key chances as wicketkeeper. The situation is not aided when your counterpart, the Australian keeper, has just delivered a virtuoso performance.

Based on the coach's words after the match, England look likely to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The hope – as is the case – is that a return to a more familiar Test setting unleashes his best, with Perth's trampoline surface and the unfamiliar day-night format now out of the way.

The alternative is to enact the plan discovered during the victorious series in New Zealand last year by moving the batsman down to his more natural home as a busy No. 5 or 6, handing him the gloves, and picking a fresh face at first drop. A young contender scored runs for the Lions over the weekend, or perhaps an all-rounder could fulfil a comparable function to Moeen Ali in 2023.

In the end, these changes is perfect, however Australia's superior basics having destroyed expectations and pushed the broader philosophy into the spotlight.