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Brendon McCullum loathed the moniker Bazball from its inception, viewing it as reductive and maybe foreseeing how it could be weaponised down the line. Right now, trailing 2-0 in an away Ashes series that began with high hopes, it has turned into the subject of mockery from Australia.

But the coach 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' prior to the day-night Test was akin to attempting to extinguish a bin fire with petrol. It risks becoming his lasting legacy as national coach if results do not improve.

On one level, you almost have to admire his commitment to the bit. As much as he claims to ignore outside criticism, he will have been all too aware of an England team increasingly characterised as carefree and lacking preparation.

The truth, as ever, 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 compared to Australia's three, due to their lack of exposure to the pink Kookaburra ball and the different lighting conditions.

The Debate of Preparation 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 significant amount of mental energy was expended before they even took the field in the cauldron of Australia's stronghold. While nets are a opportunity to refine technique, they can also become a comfort zone; zero consequence activity that simply keeps the reflexes sharp.

Schedules are tight such that warm-up matches against state sides were unavailable (and no guarantee, when you consider England having played three before the 5-0 series loss in 2013-14). What is harder to square is the disregard of county championship cricket as a worthwhile exercise more broadly, as shown by a young player's wasted summer.

Match Shortcomings and Strategic Stagnation

Only playing prepares cricketers for the various scenarios they walk out to face, and it is in this area where England have thus far been found lacking. It is not only with the bat – harrowing as some of the decision-making has been – but an attack that seems without a spearhead. None has demonstrated the persistence or control that the exceptional Mitchell Starc and his support cast have displayed.

The coach's unconventional approach was freeing during its initial year, an excellent, apt solution to eradicate the lethargy that came before. The disappointment now comes in 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 last 30 Tests.

Squad Focus and Selection Dilemmas

Among them is the wicketkeeper-batter, a talent, undoubtedly, but one who is being constantly tested on each side of the bat and missed two key chances as wicketkeeper. The situation is not aided when your opposite number, the Australian keeper, has just produced a masterful display.

Going by the coach's comments in the aftermath, England appear set to keep the faith with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – similar to the broader situation – is that a return to a traditional match environment triggers his top form, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unfamiliar day-night format now out of the way.

Another option is to implement the plan stumbled across during the series win in New Zealand 12 months ago by shifting the batsman down to his more natural home as a active No. 5 or 6, handing him the gloves, and picking a new No 3. Bethell scored runs for the Lions recently, or perhaps an all-rounder could perform a comparable function to Moeen Ali in 2023.

Ultimately, none of this is ideal, with Australia's better fundamentals having shattered pre-series optimism and forced the broader philosophy into the spotlight.