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The England head coach detested the label Bazball since it was coined, viewing it as overly simplistic and perhaps anticipating how it could be weaponised in the future. Currently, trailing 2-0 in an away Ashes series that began with high hopes, it has turned into the subject of mockery from Australia.

However McCullum has contributed to the problem either. Following the crushing loss at the Gabba, his claim that, if anything, England were 'too prepared' prior to the day-night Test was like attempting to extinguish a rubbish fire with petrol. It could become his lasting legacy as England head coach if results do not improve.

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

The truth, as ever, is not so simple. England enjoy golf just as much during their necessary down time as their opponents and they train just as much. Prior to the Gabba Test, they did more, logging five days to Australia's three, due to their lack of exposure to the pink Kookaburra ball and the changes in seeing conditions.

The Debate of Readiness and Practice

McCullum's point about being "over-prepared" was that those five extra days were his call – the instance he wavered in his conviction that less is more. It meant a significant amount of mental energy was used up before they even took the field in the cauldron of Australia's fortress. And though net practice are a opportunity to refine skills, they can also become a comfort zone; low-pressure work that mainly maintains the reflexes sharp.

Schedules are tight such that warm-up matches against state sides were not possible (and no guarantee, when you consider England playing three before the whitewash in 2013-14). What is harder to square is the dismissal of domestic red-ball cricket as a valuable experience more broadly, evidenced by a young player's unproductive season.

On-Field Shortcomings and Philosophical Stagnation

Match practice alone prepares cricketers for the various scenarios they encounter, and it is in this area where England have thus far fallen well short. The issue is not just with the batting – harrowing as some of the decision-making has been – but an attack that seems without a spearhead. None has demonstrated the patience or discipline that the otherworldly Australian paceman and his support cast have displayed.

McCullum's unconventional outlook was freeing during its first 12 months, an effective, apt solution to shake off the lethargy that came before. The frustration now stems from how it has seemingly not evolved past that point – an absence of an upgrade to the original software that has seen results decline to 14 wins and 14 losses from their most recent matches.

Player Focus and Selection Decisions

Among them is the wicketkeeper-batter, a gifted player, no question, but one who is being constantly tested on both edges and missed two crucial opportunities as wicketkeeper. It probably does not help when your counterpart, the Australian keeper, has just delivered a masterful display.

Going by McCullum'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 triggers 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 series win in New Zealand 12 months ago by moving Ollie Pope down to his preferred position as a busy middle order player, handing him the gloves, and selecting a new No 3. A young contender scored runs for the Lions over the weekend, or perhaps an all-rounder could perform a comparable function to the former spinner in 2023.

In the end, none of this is perfect, with Australia's better fundamentals having shattered pre-series optimism and pushed the broader philosophy into the harsh glare of scrutiny.