🔗 Share this article

Brendon McCullum loathed the term Bazball from its inception, viewing it as reductive and maybe anticipating how it might be used as a weapon down the line. Currently, trailing 2-0 in an Test series in Australia that started with great expectations, it has become the butt of mockery from Australia.

But the coach has not helped himself either. Following the crushing loss at the Gabba, his claim that, if there was an issue, England were 'over-prepared' prior to the day-night Test was like attempting to extinguish a rubbish fire with petrol. It could become his lasting legacy as national coach if results do not improve.

In a way, one must admire his dedication to the philosophy. As much as he claims to block out external noise, he must have been all too aware of an England team increasingly characterised as freewheeling and lacking preparation.

The reality, as ever, is not so simple. England play as much golf during their necessary down time as their opponents and they practice equally hard. Before the Gabba Test, they trained for longer, completing five days compared to Australia's three, due to their limited experience to the pink ball and the changes in seeing conditions.

The Question of Preparation and Practice

The coach's point about being "over-prepared" was that those five extra days were his decision – the moment he blinked in his conviction that less is more. It suggested a significant amount of focus was expended before they even took the field in the intensity of Australia's stronghold. While nets are a opportunity to refine technique, they can also become a comfort zone; low-pressure work that simply keeps the reactions quick.

Fixtures are congested such that pre-series state games were unavailable (and 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 in general, evidenced by a young player's wasted summer.

On-Field Deficiencies and Philosophical Stagnation

Only playing prepares cricketers for the many situations they encounter, and it is here where England have so far been found lacking. The issue is not just with the bat – as poor as some of the decision-making has been – but an attack that seems leaderless. No bowler has shown the patience or discipline that the exceptional Australian paceman and his support cast have delivered.

McCullum's unconventional approach was freeing during its first 12 months, an effective, apt solution to shake off the lethargy that preceded it. The frustration now comes in how it has apparently not evolved past that initial phase – the lack of an upgrade to the initial philosophy that has seen form taper off to an even record from their most recent matches.

Player Focus and Team Decisions

One such player is Jamie Smith, a talent, undoubtedly, but one who is being mercilessly targeted on each side of the bat and has dropped two key chances as wicketkeeper. The situation is not aided when your opposite number, Alex Carey, has just produced a masterful display.

Going by McCullum's words after the match, England look likely to keep the faith with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – as is the case – is that a switch to a traditional match environment unleashes his top form, with Perth's trampoline surface and the unusual day-night format now out of the way.

The alternative is to enact the plan discovered during the victorious series in New Zealand last year by moving Ollie Pope down to his preferred position as a active No. 5 or 6, giving him the gloves, and picking a new No 3. A young contender scored runs for the Lions over the weekend, or maybe an all-rounder could perform a comparable function to Moeen Ali in 2023.

In the end, these changes is ideal, however Australia's better fundamentals having shattered expectations and forced the team's entire approach into the harsh glare of scrutiny.