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The England head coach despised the label Bazball from its inception, deeming it overly simplistic and perhaps foreseeing how it might be used as a weapon down the line. Right now, trailing 2-0 in an Test series in Australia that began 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 'too 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 take an upturn.

In a way, one must admire his dedication to the philosophy. As much as McCullum says he block out outside criticism, he must have been acutely aware of an England team increasingly characterised as carefree and lacking preparation.

The truth, as ever, is not so simple. England play as much golf during their necessary down time as their opponents and they train just as much. Prior to the Gabba Test, they trained for longer, completing five days 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 decision – the instance he blinked in his belief 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 refine skills, they can also become a safety blanket; low-pressure work that simply keeps the reactions quick.

Fixtures are tight such that warm-up matches against state sides were unavailable (with uncertain value, as shown by England having played three before the 5-0 series loss in 2013-14). More difficult to justify is the disregard of county championship cricket as a worthwhile exercise in general, as shown by Jacob Bethell's unproductive season.

Match Deficiencies and Philosophical Stagnation

Match practice alone prepares cricketers for the various scenarios they walk out to face, and it is here where England have thus far fallen well short. The issue is not just with the bat – harrowing as some of the shot selection has been – but an bowling attack that seems leaderless. No bowler has demonstrated the patience or discipline that the exceptional Mitchell Starc and his teammates have delivered.

The coach's free-spirit approach was liberating during its first 12 months, an effective, apt remedy to shake off the lethargy that preceded it. The frustration now comes in how it has apparently not evolved past that point – an absence of an second phase to the original software that has seen form taper off to an even record from their most recent matches.

Player Focus and Selection Decisions

One such player is Jamie Smith, a gifted player, no question, but one who is being mercilessly targeted on both edges and has dropped two crucial opportunities with the gloves. The situation is not aided when your counterpart, Alex Carey, has just delivered a masterful display.

Based on the coach's words in the aftermath, England look likely to keep the faith with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – as is the case – is that a return to a more familiar match environment unleashes his top form, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unfamiliar floodlit Test now out of the way.

The alternative is to implement the plan discovered during the victorious series in New Zealand last year by shifting the batsman down to his preferred position as a active No. 5 or 6, giving him the gloves, and picking a new No 3. A young contender scored runs for the Lions over the weekend, or maybe an all-rounder could fulfil a similar role to Moeen Ali in 2023.

In the end, these changes is ideal, however Australia's better fundamentals having destroyed expectations and pushed the team's entire approach into the harsh glare of scrutiny.