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The England head coach detested the term Bazball the moment it emerged, viewing it as overly simplistic and perhaps foreseeing how it could be used as a weapon in the future. Currently, trailing 2-0 in an away Ashes series that started with great expectations, it has become the butt of Australian jokes.

But McCullum has not helped himself either. After the crushing defeat at the Gabba, his insistence that, if there was an issue, England were 'too prepared' prior to the pink-ball match was like trying to put out a rubbish fire with petrol. It risks becoming his epitaph as national coach if performances do not take an upturn.

In a way, you almost have to admire his dedication to the philosophy. While McCullum says he block out outside criticism, he must have been acutely aware of an England team increasingly characterised as freewheeling and underprepared.

The reality, as always, is more nuanced. England play as much golf 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, given their limited experience to the pink ball and the different seeing conditions.

The Debate of Preparation and Training

The coach's point about being "over-prepared" was that those additional training days were his call – the instance he wavered in his belief that minimal preparation is best. It suggested a significant amount of focus was expended before they even took the field in the cauldron of Australia's fortress. While net practice are a opportunity to iron out skills, they can also become a safety blanket; zero consequence activity that simply maintains the reflexes sharp.

Fixtures are tight such that warm-up matches against state sides were not possible (with no guarantee, as shown by England playing 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 more broadly, as shown by Jacob Bethell's wasted summer.

On-Field Shortcomings and Philosophical Stagnation

Only playing prepares cricketers for the various scenarios they walk out to face, and it is in this area where England have so far been found lacking. It is not only with the batting – harrowing as some of the decision-making has been – but an bowling attack that seems leaderless. None has demonstrated the persistence or control that the exceptional Australian paceman and his teammates have delivered.

The coach's free-spirit approach was liberating during its initial year, an excellent, apt remedy to shake off the torpor that preceded it. The disappointment now stems from how it has apparently not evolved past that initial phase – the lack of an second phase to the initial philosophy that has seen form taper off to 14 wins and 14 losses from their most recent matches.

Player Spotlight and Selection Dilemmas

Among them is Jamie Smith, a talent, no question, but one who is being constantly tested on both edges and missed two crucial opportunities as wicketkeeper. The situation is not aided when your counterpart, Alex Carey, has just produced a masterful display.

Going by McCullum's words after the match, England look likely to keep the faith with Smith in Adelaide. The hope – as is the case – is that a return to a more familiar match environment triggers his best, with Perth's trampoline surface and the unfamiliar day-night format now out of the way.

The alternative is to implement 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, giving him the wicketkeeping duties, and selecting a fresh face at first drop. A young contender made some runs for the Lions recently, or maybe Will Jacks could perform a similar role to Moeen Ali in 2023.

Ultimately, these changes is perfect, however Australia's superior basics having shattered expectations and forced the broader philosophy into the spotlight.