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The England head coach loathed the term Bazball the moment it emerged, deeming it overly simplistic and perhaps anticipating how it might be used as a weapon down the line. Right now, down 2-0 in an away Ashes series that began with great expectations, it has turned into the subject of Australian jokes.

But the coach has contributed to the problem either. After the crushing loss at the Gabba, his insistence that, if there was an issue, England were 'too prepared' before the day-night Test was akin to trying to put out a bin fire with petrol. It could become his epitaph as England head coach if results do not take an upturn.

In a way, you almost have to admire his commitment to the bit. As much as he says he block out outside criticism, he must have been acutely aware of an England team often described as carefree and underprepared.

The truth, as ever, is more nuanced. England enjoy golf just as much during their scheduled breaks as their opponents and they practice equally hard. Prior to the Gabba Test, they trained for longer, logging five days to Australia's three, given their limited experience to the pink Kookaburra ball and the different lighting conditions.

The Question of Preparation and Practice

McCullum's point about being "over-prepared" was that those five extra days were his decision – the instance he wavered in his belief that minimal preparation is best. It meant a significant amount of mental energy was expended before they even took the field in the intensity of Australia's stronghold. And though nets are a chance to refine skills, they can also become a safety blanket; low-pressure activity that simply maintains the reactions quick.

Schedules are tight such that pre-series state games were unavailable (and no guarantee, when you consider England playing three before the whitewash in 2013-14). More difficult to justify is the dismissal of county championship cricket as a worthwhile exercise in general, evidenced by Jacob Bethell's wasted summer.

On-Field Deficiencies and Philosophical Lack of Evolution

Match practice alone hardens cricketers for the various scenarios they walk out to face, and it is here 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 attack that seems leaderless. None has shown the persistence or control that the otherworldly Mitchell Starc and his teammates have displayed.

The coach's unconventional outlook was liberating during its first 12 months, an excellent, well diagnosed solution to shake off the lethargy that preceded it. The disappointment now stems from how it has seemingly not evolved past that point – an absence of an second phase to the initial philosophy that has seen results decline to an even record from their most recent matches.

Player Spotlight and Team Decisions

Among them is Jamie Smith, a talent, undoubtedly, but one who is being mercilessly targeted on both edges and missed two key chances as wicketkeeper. It probably does not help when your counterpart, Alex Carey, has just produced a masterful performance.

Based on the coach's comments after the match, England appear set to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The hope – as is the case – is that a switch to a more familiar Test setting 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 discovered during the series win in New Zealand last year by moving the batsman down to his preferred position as a busy middle order player, giving him the gloves, and picking a new No 3. Bethell scored runs for the Lions recently, or perhaps an all-rounder could fulfil a comparable function to Moeen Ali in 2023.

Ultimately, none of this is perfect, with Australia's better fundamentals having shattered pre-series optimism and pushed the team's entire approach into the spotlight.