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Brendon McCullum loathed the term Bazball from its inception, deeming it overly simplistic and maybe foreseeing how it might be used as a weapon in the future. Currently, trailing 2-0 in an away Ashes series that began with high hopes, it has become the butt of Australian jokes.

However McCullum has contributed to the problem either. Following the crushing loss at the Gabba, his claim that, if anything, England were 'over-prepared' prior to the pink-ball match was akin to trying to put out a bin fire with gasoline. It risks becoming his lasting legacy as England head coach if results do not take an upturn.

In a way, one must admire his commitment to the bit. While McCullum says he ignore external noise, he must have been all too aware of an England team increasingly characterised as carefree and lacking preparation.

The truth, as always, is not so simple. England enjoy golf just as much during their scheduled breaks as their rivals and they practice equally hard. Before the Gabba Test, they did more, completing five days to Australia's three, due to their lack of exposure to the pink Kookaburra ball and the different lighting conditions.

The Debate of Preparation and Training

The coach's point about being "excessively ready" was that those five extra days were his decision – the instance he blinked in his belief that less is more. It suggested a significant amount of mental energy was expended before they even took the field in the cauldron of Australia's stronghold. And though nets are a chance to iron out 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 not possible (with no guarantee, as shown by England playing three before the 5-0 series loss in 2013-14). What is harder to square is the disregard of domestic red-ball cricket as a worthwhile exercise more broadly, evidenced by Jacob Bethell's unproductive season.

Match Shortcomings and Strategic Lack of Evolution

Only playing prepares cricketers for the various scenarios they encounter, and it is here 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 leaderless. None has demonstrated the patience or discipline that the exceptional Australian paceman and his support cast have delivered.

The coach's free-spirit outlook was liberating during its initial year, an effective, well diagnosed remedy to shake off the lethargy that preceded it. The disappointment now stems from how it has seemingly failed to move beyond that point – the lack of an second phase to the initial philosophy that has seen results decline to 14 wins and 14 losses from their most recent matches.

Squad Spotlight and Selection Decisions

One such player is Jamie Smith, a gifted player, 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, the Australian keeper, has just delivered a masterful display.

Based on McCullum's comments 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 Test setting unleashes his best, with Perth's trampoline surface and the unfamiliar day-night format now out of the way.

The alternative is to enact the plan discovered during the victorious series in New Zealand 12 months ago by shifting the batsman down to his more natural home as a busy middle order player, handing him the gloves, and picking a fresh face at first drop. A young contender scored runs for the Lions over the weekend, or maybe Will Jacks could fulfil a comparable function to Moeen Ali in 2023.

Ultimately, none of this is perfect, with Australia's better fundamentals having destroyed expectations and forced the team's entire approach into the harsh glare of scrutiny.