🔗 Share this article

Brendon McCullum loathed the moniker Bazball from its inception, viewing it as overly simplistic and perhaps anticipating how it might be weaponised in the future. Right now, down 2-0 in an away Ashes series that began with great expectations, it has turned into the subject of Australian jokes.

But the coach has contributed to the problem either. Following the crushing defeat at the Gabba, his insistence that, if anything, England were 'too prepared' prior to the pink-ball match was like trying to put out a rubbish fire with gasoline. It could become 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 McCullum says he block out external noise, he must have been acutely aware of an England team increasingly characterised as freewheeling and lacking preparation.

The truth, as always, is not so simple. England enjoy golf just as much during their necessary down time as their opponents and they train just as much. Before the Gabba Test, they trained for longer, logging five days to Australia's three, due to their limited experience to the pink Kookaburra ball and the changes in lighting conditions.

The Debate of Readiness and Training

The coach's point about being "over-prepared" was that those five extra days were his call – the instance he blinked in his conviction that less is more. It meant a significant amount of mental energy was expended before they even stepped out in the cauldron of Australia's fortress. And though nets are a chance to refine skills, they can also become a comfort zone; low-pressure work that simply keeps the reactions quick.

Fixtures are tight such that pre-series state games were not possible (with uncertain value, as shown by 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 in general, as shown by Jacob Bethell's wasted summer.

On-Field Deficiencies and Strategic Stagnation

Match practice alone prepares cricketers for the various scenarios they encounter, and it is in this area where England have so far been found lacking. It is not only with the batting – as poor as some of the shot selection has been – but an bowling attack that seems leaderless. No bowler has demonstrated the persistence or control that the exceptional Australian paceman and his teammates have displayed.

The coach's unconventional outlook was liberating during its first 12 months, an excellent, well diagnosed solution to shake off the lethargy that came before. The disappointment now stems from how it has apparently not evolved past that initial phase – the lack of an second phase to the original software that has seen results decline to an even record from their most recent matches.

Player Spotlight and Selection Dilemmas

Among them is the wicketkeeper-batter, a talent, no question, but one who is being mercilessly targeted on both edges and has dropped two crucial opportunities with the gloves. The situation is not aided when your opposite number, the Australian keeper, has just delivered a masterful display.

Going by the coach's comments after the match, England appear set to keep the faith with Smith in Adelaide. The hope – as is the case – is that a return to a traditional Test setting 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 stumbled across during the series win in New Zealand last year by moving Ollie Pope down to his preferred position as a active middle order player, handing him the wicketkeeping duties, and selecting a new No 3. Bethell scored runs for the Lions over the weekend, or maybe Will Jacks could fulfil a similar role to Moeen Ali in 2023.

Ultimately, these changes is ideal, with Australia's superior basics having shattered pre-series optimism and pushed the team's entire approach into the harsh glare of scrutiny.