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The England head coach despised the label Bazball the moment it emerged, deeming it overly simplistic and maybe foreseeing how it could be used as a weapon down the line. Currently, trailing 2-0 in an Test series in Australia that began with great expectations, it has turned into the subject of mockery from Australia.

But McCullum has contributed to the problem either. After the crushing loss at the Gabba, his insistence that, if anything, England were 'over-prepared' prior to the pink-ball match was akin to attempting to extinguish a rubbish fire with petrol. It risks becoming his lasting legacy as England head coach if performances do not improve.

On one level, one must admire his dedication to the philosophy. As much as he says he ignore external noise, he will have been all too aware of an England team often described as freewheeling and lacking preparation.

The reality, as always, is not so simple. England play as much golf during their necessary down time as their opponents and they train just as much. Before the Gabba Test, they trained for longer, completing five days to Australia's three, due to their lack of exposure to the pink Kookaburra ball and the different seeing conditions.

The Debate of Readiness and Practice

McCullum's point about being "excessively ready" was that those additional training days were his call – the moment he wavered in his belief that less is more. It suggested a significant amount of focus was used up before they even stepped out in the cauldron of Australia's fortress. And though nets are a chance to iron out skills, they can also become a safety blanket; low-pressure work that simply keeps the reflexes sharp.

Fixtures are congested such that pre-series state games were not possible (and uncertain value, as shown by England playing three before the whitewash in 2013-14). What is harder to square is the dismissal of domestic red-ball cricket as a worthwhile exercise in general, as shown by Jacob Bethell's wasted summer.

On-Field Shortcomings and Philosophical Lack of Evolution

Only playing hardens cricketers for the many situations they walk out to face, and it is here where England have so far been found lacking. It is not only with the bat – harrowing as some of the decision-making has been – but an bowling attack that seems leaderless. None has demonstrated the persistence or discipline that the otherworldly Mitchell Starc and his teammates have displayed.

McCullum's free-spirit approach was liberating during its first 12 months, an effective, well diagnosed solution to shake off the lethargy that preceded it. The frustration now comes in how it has seemingly not evolved past that point – an absence of an second phase to the original software that has seen form decline to an even record from their most recent matches.

Squad Focus and Team Dilemmas

Among them is the wicketkeeper-batter, a talent, undoubtedly, but one who is being constantly tested on both edges and missed two key chances with the gloves. It probably does not help when your counterpart, Alex Carey, has just produced a masterful display.

Going by 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 switch to a more familiar Test setting triggers his top form, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unusual day-night format now in the past.

The alternative is to enact the plan stumbled across during the series win in New Zealand 12 months ago by shifting the batsman down to his preferred position as a busy middle order player, handing him the gloves, and selecting a fresh face at first drop. Bethell made some runs for the Lions recently, or perhaps Will Jacks could perform a similar role to the former spinner in 2023.

Ultimately, none of this is ideal, with Australia's superior basics having shattered expectations and pushed the broader philosophy into the spotlight.