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Brendon McCullum despised the term Bazball from its inception, viewing it as overly simplistic and maybe anticipating how it might be weaponised down the line. Right now, trailing 2-0 in an Test series in Australia that began with high hopes, it has become the butt of Australian jokes.

However the coach has not helped himself either. After the gut-wrenching loss at the Gabba, his claim that, if there was an issue, England were 'too prepared' prior to the pink-ball match was akin to trying to put out a rubbish fire with gasoline. It risks becoming his epitaph as national coach if results do not improve.

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

The reality, as ever, is more nuanced. England enjoy golf just as much during their scheduled breaks as their rivals and they train just as much. Prior to the Gabba Test, they did more, completing five days compared to Australia's three, given their lack of exposure to the pink ball and the different seeing conditions.

The Question of Readiness and Training

The coach's point about being "excessively ready" was that those additional training days were his call – the instance he wavered in his belief that minimal preparation is best. It suggested a Test match's worth of mental energy was expended before they even stepped out in the cauldron of Australia's fortress. And though net practice are a opportunity to refine technique, they can also become a safety blanket; low-pressure activity that mainly keeps the reactions quick.

Fixtures are tight such that warm-up matches against state sides were unavailable (with no guarantee, as shown by England having played three before the whitewash in 2013-14). More difficult to justify is the disregard of county championship cricket as a worthwhile exercise in general, evidenced by a young player's unproductive season.

On-Field Deficiencies and Strategic Lack of Evolution

Match practice alone prepares cricketers for the many situations they walk out to face, and it is here where England have so far fallen well short. The issue is not just with the batting – harrowing as some of the shot selection has been – but an attack that seems without a spearhead. None has demonstrated the persistence or discipline that the otherworldly Mitchell Starc and his teammates have delivered.

The coach's free-spirit approach was liberating during its initial year, an excellent, apt remedy to eradicate the lethargy that came before. The frustration now stems from how it has seemingly failed to move beyond that point – an absence of an upgrade to the original software that has seen results taper off to 14 wins and 14 losses from their most recent matches.

Squad Spotlight and Team Dilemmas

Among them is the wicketkeeper-batter, a gifted player, no question, but one who is being mercilessly targeted on both edges and missed two crucial opportunities as wicketkeeper. It probably does not help when your opposite number, the Australian keeper, has just delivered a virtuoso performance.

Going by 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 switch to a traditional Test setting triggers his best, with Perth's trampoline surface and the unusual day-night format now in the past.

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 more natural home as a active No. 5 or 6, giving him the gloves, and picking a fresh face at first drop. A young contender made some runs for the Lions over the weekend, or maybe an all-rounder could perform a similar role to Moeen Ali in 2023.

Ultimately, these changes is perfect, with Australia's better fundamentals having shattered pre-series optimism and forced the team's entire approach into the spotlight.