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The England head coach detested the label Bazball since it was coined, deeming it overly simplistic and maybe foreseeing how it might 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 Australian jokes.

But the coach has contributed to the problem either. Following the crushing defeat at the Gabba, his insistence that, if anything, England were 'over-prepared' prior to the pink-ball match was akin to attempting to extinguish a bin fire with gasoline. It risks becoming his epitaph as England head coach if performances do not improve.

In a way, one must admire his commitment to the bit. As much as he says he block out external noise, he will have been all too aware of an England team often described as carefree and lacking preparation.

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 trained for longer, logging five days to Australia's three, given their lack of exposure to the pink ball and the different lighting conditions.

The Debate of Readiness and Training

The coach's point about being "excessively ready" was that those additional training days were his decision – the instance he blinked in his belief that minimal preparation is best. It suggested a significant amount of focus was used up before they even took the field in the intensity of Australia's stronghold. And though net practice are a opportunity to refine technique, they can also become a comfort zone; low-pressure work that simply keeps the reactions quick.

Schedules are tight such that warm-up matches against state sides were unavailable (and uncertain value, as shown by England having played three before the 5-0 series loss in 2013-14). More difficult to justify is the disregard of domestic red-ball cricket as a worthwhile exercise more broadly, as shown by Jacob Bethell's wasted summer.

Match Deficiencies and Philosophical Lack of Evolution

Match practice alone prepares cricketers for the many situations they encounter, and it is in this area where England have so far been found lacking. It is not only with the bat – as poor as some of the shot selection has been – but an bowling attack that seems leaderless. No bowler has demonstrated the patience or control that the exceptional Mitchell Starc and his teammates have displayed.

McCullum's free-spirit outlook was liberating during its initial year, an excellent, well diagnosed solution to eradicate the torpor that came before. The frustration now stems from how it has seemingly not evolved past that initial phase – an absence of an upgrade to the initial philosophy that has seen form decline to 14 wins and 14 losses from their last 30 Tests.

Player Focus and Selection Dilemmas

Among them is the wicketkeeper-batter, a talent, undoubtedly, but one who is being constantly tested on both edges and missed two crucial opportunities with the gloves. It probably does not help when your counterpart, Alex Carey, has just produced a virtuoso performance.

Based on the coach's words after the match, England appear set to keep the faith with Smith in Adelaide. The hope – similar to the broader situation – is that a switch to a traditional match environment triggers 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 stumbled across during the series win in New Zealand 12 months ago by shifting Ollie Pope down to his more natural home as a active No. 5 or 6, handing him the gloves, and picking a new No 3. A young contender made some runs for the Lions over the weekend, or maybe an all-rounder could fulfil a similar role to Moeen Ali in 2023.

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