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The England head coach despised the moniker Bazball since it was coined, viewing it as overly simplistic and maybe anticipating how it could be weaponised down the line. Right now, down 2-0 in an away Ashes series that started with great expectations, it has turned into the subject of mockery from Australia.

But McCullum has not helped himself either. After the gut-wrenching defeat at the Gabba, his claim that, if there was an issue, England were 'too prepared' before the pink-ball match was like trying to put out a rubbish fire with gasoline. It could become his lasting legacy as national coach if performances do not take an upturn.

On one level, you almost have to admire his dedication to the philosophy. While McCullum says he ignore external noise, he must have been acutely aware of an England team often described as carefree and lacking preparation.

The reality, as always, is more nuanced. England play as much golf during their necessary down time as their opponents and they practice equally hard. Prior to the Gabba Test, they trained for longer, logging five days to Australia's three, due to their limited experience to the pink Kookaburra ball and the different lighting conditions.

The Debate of Readiness and Practice

The coach's point about being "over-prepared" was that those additional training days were his call – the instance he blinked 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. And though nets are a opportunity to refine technique, they can also become a safety blanket; zero consequence work that simply maintains the reflexes sharp.

Schedules are congested such that pre-series state games were unavailable (with no guarantee, as shown by England playing three before the whitewash in 2013-14). More difficult to justify is the dismissal of county championship cricket as a valuable experience more broadly, evidenced by Jacob Bethell's wasted summer.

On-Field Deficiencies and Philosophical Lack of Evolution

Only playing prepares cricketers for the various scenarios they encounter, and it is here where England have so far fallen well short. The issue is not just with the batting – as poor as some of the shot selection has been – but an attack that seems leaderless. No bowler has shown the patience or control that the exceptional Mitchell Starc and his support cast have delivered.

The coach's free-spirit outlook was liberating during its initial year, an effective, apt remedy to eradicate the torpor that came before. The frustration now comes in how it has seemingly failed to move beyond that initial phase – the lack of an second phase to the initial philosophy that has seen form decline to 14 wins and 14 losses from their last 30 Tests.

Squad Spotlight and Selection Dilemmas

Among them is Jamie Smith, a gifted player, undoubtedly, but one who is being constantly tested on each side of the bat and has dropped two crucial opportunities as wicketkeeper. It probably does not help when your opposite number, the Australian keeper, has just delivered a virtuoso performance.

Based on McCullum's comments in the aftermath, England appear set to keep the faith with Smith in Adelaide. The hope – as is the case – is that a return to a more familiar match environment triggers his top form, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unusual day-night format now out of the way.

The alternative is to implement the plan stumbled across during the series win in New Zealand 12 months ago by moving Ollie Pope down to his preferred position as a active middle order player, handing him the gloves, and selecting a new No 3. A young contender made some runs for the Lions recently, or perhaps Will Jacks could fulfil a comparable function to the former spinner in 2023.

Ultimately, none of this is perfect, however Australia's superior basics having shattered expectations and pushed the team's entire approach into the spotlight.