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Brendon McCullum despised the label Bazball the moment it emerged, viewing it as overly simplistic and perhaps anticipating how it could be weaponised down the line. Currently, trailing 2-0 in an Test series in Australia that started with high hopes, it has turned into the subject of mockery from Australia.

However McCullum has not helped himself either. Following the gut-wrenching loss at the Gabba, his claim that, if there was an issue, England were 'too prepared' before the day-night Test was like trying to put out a bin fire with petrol. It could become his lasting legacy as England head coach if performances do not improve.

In a way, one must admire his commitment to the bit. As much as McCullum claims to block out outside criticism, he will 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. Before the Gabba Test, they trained for longer, logging five days compared to Australia's three, given their limited experience to the pink ball and the changes in lighting conditions.

The Debate of Preparation and Training

The coach's point about being "over-prepared" was that those five extra days were his call – the moment he wavered in his conviction that less is more. It suggested a Test match's worth of mental energy was expended before they even stepped out in the cauldron of Australia's stronghold. And though nets are a opportunity to iron out technique, they can also become a safety blanket; low-pressure activity that mainly maintains the reactions quick.

Schedules are tight such that warm-up matches against state sides were unavailable (and uncertain value, when you consider England having played three before the 5-0 series loss in 2013-14). What is harder to square is the dismissal of domestic red-ball cricket as a valuable experience in general, evidenced by Jacob Bethell's unproductive season.

Match Deficiencies and Philosophical Stagnation

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

The coach's unconventional outlook was freeing during its first 12 months, an effective, apt remedy to eradicate the torpor that preceded it. The disappointment now stems from how it has seemingly not evolved past that point – the lack of an second phase to the initial philosophy that has seen results decline to an even record from their most recent matches.

Squad Spotlight and Selection Dilemmas

One such player is Jamie Smith, a gifted player, undoubtedly, but one who is being mercilessly targeted on both edges and missed two crucial opportunities with the gloves. The situation is not aided when your opposite number, the Australian keeper, has just produced a masterful display.

Going by the coach's comments after the match, England look likely to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – similar to the broader situation – is that a return to a more familiar match environment unleashes his top form, with Perth's trampoline surface and the unusual day-night format now out of the way.

Another option is to implement the plan stumbled across during the victorious series in New Zealand last year by shifting the batsman down to his more natural home as a active No. 5 or 6, giving him the gloves, and selecting a fresh face at first drop. A young contender made some runs for the Lions over the weekend, or perhaps Will Jacks could fulfil a similar role to the former spinner in 2023.

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