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The England head coach detested the term Bazball from its inception, viewing it as overly simplistic and maybe anticipating how it could be weaponised in the future. Currently, trailing 2-0 in an away Ashes series that started with great expectations, it has turned into the subject of Australian jokes.

However the coach has not helped himself either. After the crushing loss at the Gabba, his insistence that, if anything, England were 'too prepared' prior to the day-night Test was akin to trying to put out a bin fire with petrol. It could become his epitaph as national coach if results do not take an upturn.

In a way, one must admire his dedication to the philosophy. While he says he block out external noise, he must have been acutely 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 necessary down time as their opponents and they practice equally hard. Prior to the Gabba Test, they did more, logging five days compared to Australia's three, due to their limited experience to the pink ball and the different lighting conditions.

The Debate of Readiness and Practice

The coach's point about being "over-prepared" was that those five extra days were his call – the moment he blinked in his conviction that minimal preparation is best. It meant a significant amount of mental energy was expended before they even stepped out in the cauldron of Australia's stronghold. And though net practice are a opportunity to iron out technique, they can also become a safety blanket; zero consequence activity that mainly maintains the reflexes sharp.

Fixtures are tight such that warm-up matches against state sides were not possible (with uncertain value, when you consider England playing three before the whitewash in 2013-14). What is harder to square is the dismissal of county championship cricket as a valuable experience more broadly, as shown by Jacob Bethell's wasted summer.

Match Deficiencies and Strategic Stagnation

Only playing hardens cricketers for the various scenarios they walk out to face, and it is in this area where England have so far been found lacking. The issue is not just with the bat – harrowing as some of the shot selection has been – but an attack that seems without a spearhead. None has demonstrated the patience or discipline that the otherworldly Mitchell Starc and his teammates have displayed.

The coach's free-spirit approach was freeing during its first 12 months, an excellent, apt solution to shake off the lethargy that preceded it. The frustration now stems from how it has apparently not evolved past that point – an absence of an second phase to the initial philosophy that has seen results taper off to 14 wins and 14 losses from their last 30 Tests.

Squad Spotlight and Selection Decisions

Among them is the wicketkeeper-batter, a talent, undoubtedly, but one who is being constantly tested on each side of the bat and missed two key chances with the gloves. The situation is not aided when your opposite number, the Australian keeper, has just delivered a masterful display.

Going by McCullum's words in the aftermath, England look likely to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – as is the case – is that a switch to a more familiar Test setting unleashes his best, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unfamiliar floodlit Test now in the past.

Another option is to implement the plan discovered during the series win in New Zealand 12 months ago by moving the batsman down to his more natural home as a busy middle order player, handing him the wicketkeeping duties, and selecting a fresh face at first drop. A young contender scored runs for the Lions over the weekend, or perhaps Will Jacks could perform a similar role to the former spinner in 2023.

In the end, none of this is perfect, however Australia's better fundamentals having shattered expectations and pushed the broader philosophy into the harsh glare of scrutiny.