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Brendon McCullum loathed the term Bazball since it was coined, considering it overly simplistic and maybe anticipating how it might be used as a weapon in the future. Right now, down 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 not helped himself either. After the gut-wrenching defeat at the Gabba, his insistence that, if there was an issue, England were 'over-prepared' prior to the day-night Test was like trying to put out a rubbish fire with gasoline. It could become his epitaph as England head 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 acutely aware of an England team increasingly characterised as carefree and underprepared.

The reality, as always, is not so simple. England enjoy golf just as much during their scheduled breaks as their rivals and they practice equally hard. Prior to the Gabba Test, they did more, logging five days compared to Australia's three, due to their lack of exposure to the pink Kookaburra ball and the changes in seeing conditions.

The Debate of Preparation and Training

The coach's point about being "over-prepared" was that those additional training days were his decision – the instance he wavered in his conviction that less is more. It meant a significant amount of focus was expended before they even stepped out in the cauldron of Australia's fortress. While nets are a chance to iron out skills, they can also become a comfort zone; low-pressure activity that mainly keeps the reactions quick.

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

On-Field Deficiencies and Strategic Lack of Evolution

Match practice alone hardens cricketers for the various scenarios they walk out to face, and it is in this area where England have thus far fallen well short. It is not only with the batting – as poor as some of the decision-making has been – but an bowling attack that seems without a spearhead. None has shown the persistence or control that the otherworldly Australian paceman and his support cast have delivered.

McCullum's unconventional approach was freeing during its first 12 months, an excellent, apt remedy to eradicate the lethargy that preceded it. The disappointment now comes in how it has seemingly failed to move beyond that initial phase – the lack of an upgrade to the original software that has seen form decline to 14 wins and 14 losses from their last 30 Tests.

Player Spotlight and Team Decisions

Among them is the wicketkeeper-batter, a talent, 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, Alex Carey, has just produced a masterful performance.

Going by the coach's words after the match, England look likely to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – as is the case – is that a return to a more familiar match environment unleashes his top form, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unfamiliar day-night format now in the past.

Another option is to enact the plan discovered during the victorious series in New Zealand last year by shifting the batsman down to his preferred position as a active middle order player, handing him the gloves, and selecting a new No 3. Bethell scored runs for the Lions recently, or perhaps Will Jacks could fulfil a similar role to Moeen Ali in 2023.

In the end, these changes is perfect, with Australia's better fundamentals having shattered pre-series optimism and forced the team's entire approach into the harsh glare of scrutiny.