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The England head coach despised the term Bazball since it was coined, deeming it overly simplistic and perhaps anticipating how it could be used as a weapon in the future. Currently, down 2-0 in an Test series in Australia that began with great expectations, it has become the butt of mockery from Australia.

But the coach has contributed to the problem either. After the gut-wrenching defeat at the Gabba, his claim that, if anything, England were 'over-prepared' before the pink-ball match was like attempting to extinguish a rubbish fire with petrol. It risks becoming his lasting legacy as national coach if performances do not improve.

On one level, one must admire his dedication to the philosophy. As much as he says he ignore outside criticism, he will have been acutely aware of an England team increasingly characterised as carefree and underprepared.

The truth, as ever, is more nuanced. England play as much golf during their necessary down time as their opponents and they practice equally hard. Before the Gabba Test, they did more, logging five days to Australia's three, due to their limited experience to the pink ball and the different seeing conditions.

The Debate of Preparation and Practice

McCullum's point about being "over-prepared" was that those five extra days were his call – the moment he blinked in his belief that less is more. It suggested a significant amount of focus was expended before they even stepped out in the cauldron of Australia's fortress. And though net practice are a chance to refine skills, they can also become a comfort zone; low-pressure work that simply maintains the reflexes sharp.

Fixtures are tight such that warm-up matches against state sides were not possible (and uncertain value, when you consider England playing three before the 5-0 series loss in 2013-14). More difficult to justify is the dismissal of county championship cricket as a worthwhile exercise in general, as shown by a young player's wasted summer.

On-Field Shortcomings and Philosophical Stagnation

Only playing hardens cricketers for the many situations they encounter, and it is in this area where England have thus far fallen well short. It is not only with the bat – as poor as some of the shot selection has been – but an bowling attack that seems leaderless. None has shown the persistence or control that the otherworldly Mitchell Starc and his teammates have delivered.

The coach's free-spirit outlook was liberating during its first 12 months, an effective, apt remedy to shake off the lethargy that came before. The frustration now comes in how it has seemingly failed to move beyond that point – an absence of an upgrade to the original software that has seen form decline to an even record from their most recent matches.

Player Spotlight and Selection Dilemmas

One such player is Jamie Smith, a gifted player, undoubtedly, but one who is being constantly tested on both edges and has dropped two key chances as wicketkeeper. It probably does not help when your counterpart, Alex Carey, has just delivered a virtuoso display.

Based on McCullum's comments in the aftermath, England look likely to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – similar to the broader situation – is that a return to a more familiar match environment triggers his top form, with Perth's trampoline surface and the unusual day-night format now in the past.

The alternative is to implement the plan discovered during the victorious series in New Zealand 12 months ago by shifting Ollie Pope down to his preferred position as a active middle order player, handing him the wicketkeeping duties, and picking a fresh face at first drop. Bethell made some runs for the Lions over the weekend, or maybe Will Jacks could perform a comparable function to the former spinner in 2023.

In the end, none of this is perfect, with Australia's superior basics having shattered expectations and forced the broader philosophy into the harsh glare of scrutiny.