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The England head coach loathed the term Bazball from its inception, deeming it reductive and maybe anticipating how it might be weaponised in the future. Right now, down 2-0 in an away Ashes series that began with high hopes, it has become the butt of mockery from Australia.

But the coach has not helped himself either. After the crushing defeat at the Gabba, his insistence that, if there was an issue, England were 'over-prepared' before the pink-ball match was like trying to put out a bin fire with gasoline. It could become his lasting legacy as England head coach if results do not take an upturn.

On one level, one must admire his dedication to the philosophy. While he says he block out outside criticism, he must have been acutely aware of an England team increasingly characterised as freewheeling and lacking preparation.

The reality, 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 Question of Preparation and Practice

The coach's point about being "over-prepared" was that those additional training days were his call – the instance he blinked in his conviction that less is more. It meant a significant amount of focus was used up before they even stepped out in the cauldron of Australia's fortress. And though net practice are a opportunity to refine technique, they can also become a safety blanket; low-pressure activity that simply maintains the reflexes sharp.

Schedules are tight such that pre-series state games were not possible (with uncertain value, when you consider England having played 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 more broadly, evidenced by Jacob Bethell's wasted summer.

On-Field Deficiencies and Philosophical Stagnation

Match practice alone hardens cricketers for the many situations they encounter, and it is in this area where England have thus far been found lacking. It is not only 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 control that the exceptional Mitchell Starc and his teammates have delivered.

The coach's unconventional outlook was liberating during its initial year, an excellent, well diagnosed solution to eradicate the lethargy that preceded it. The frustration now comes in how it has apparently failed to move beyond that initial phase – the lack of an second phase to the initial philosophy that has seen results taper off to 14 wins and 14 losses from their most recent matches.

Squad Focus and Selection Dilemmas

Among them is Jamie Smith, a gifted player, no question, but one who is being constantly tested on both edges and missed two key chances with the gloves. The situation is not aided when your counterpart, the Australian keeper, has just delivered a masterful display.

Based on the coach's words in the aftermath, England appear set to keep the faith with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – as is the case – is that a return to a traditional match environment unleashes his best, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unfamiliar day-night format now out of the way.

Another option is to implement the plan discovered during the victorious series in New Zealand 12 months ago by moving the batsman down to his preferred position as a busy No. 5 or 6, handing him the wicketkeeping duties, and picking a new No 3. Bethell made some runs for the Lions over the weekend, or maybe an all-rounder could perform a similar role to Moeen Ali in 2023.

In the end, these changes is ideal, with Australia's superior basics having destroyed expectations and forced the team's entire approach into the harsh glare of scrutiny.