PERTH -- The backlash against England's two-day capitulation in the first Ashes Test has almost been as brutal as the defeat itself. But now is not the time to lose faith in the Bazball project.
Criticism after such a painful result, coming after England found themselves in a position of dominance at lunch on day two, is fair.
Yet the words of coach Brendon McCullum in the aftermath gave the biggest indication yet that there will be no straying from the methods that have helped this team win 25 of their 42 Tests since the start of the Bazball era in the summer of 2022.
The New Zealander repeatedly spoke about staying true to their uber-positive mantra and sticking together as a group to "insulate" themselves from the criticism that will come their way in the 12-day gap between the end of this first Test and the start of the second in Brisbane on Thursday week.
"Just because we are one down in the series doesn't change what we believe in," he said. "We've just got to keep backing our approach and be strong. If we go away from that, we're in trouble.
"If we seize the key moments that separate the wins and the losses, I'm completely confident we'll be a live chance in this series.
"When things haven't quite worked out, that's when your methods are tested, when you've got to stay calm as a leader, keep plotting the path and the way forward, eyes on the prize and try to block out some of the doubts and the insecurities that can creep in. Because if that does happen, you literally have no chance."
That means calls for England to decamp to Canberra this week will fall on deaf ears. A two-day pink-ball match between an England XI and a Prime Minster's XI is scheduled to start on Saturday.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has said it would be "amateurish" if the Ashes squad don't tune up for that day-night Test at the Gabba by playing in Canberra.
Yet The i Paper understands the touring XI for that match will, as always planned, be an England Lions team, with the Test squad flying to Brisbane on Wednesday. Once in Queensland, they will clear their heads before resuming training four days out from the second Test. McCullum intimated as much when asked about the squad decamping to Australia's capital, saying: "We don't do anything for optics, that's the way we are."
There was also an admission from McCullum that the team were "bitterly disappointed" for England's fans. But he has urged them to "keep the faith" and believe the series can still be won.
It's a big ask. Only three times in history have England come back from 1-0 down to win in Australia - in 1954-55, 1911-12 and 1882-83.
Weirdly, though, England have never lost a series in the Bazball era after being defeated in the first Test.
In McCullum's first summer in charge in 2022, England bounced back from a three-day mauling by South Africa at Lord's, where they lost by an innings after being routed for 165 and 149. They won the final two Tests at Old Trafford and The Oval convincingly.
Also, in 2023 they came back against Australia after losing the first two Tests at Edgbaston and Lord's. Only the Manchester rain during a drawn fourth Test stopped them from becoming the second team in history to win an Ashes series from 2-0 down.
McCullum intimated those two series will be talked about as the squad regroup ahead of Brisbane, adding: "We've been in this situation before. We know how big this series this is."
England have been planning for this Ashes for years. To change their approach now would be an admission of defeat with four Tests still to play.
As harrowing as Perth was, their all-pace attack rattled Australia in their first innings and although the batting was ropey, they did find themselves leading by 99 runs at lunch on day two with nine second-innings wickets remaining before the madness of Saturday afternoon kicked in.
All they have to do is temper their aggression and choose their moments to attack Australia's bowlers. This worked against India last summer. It can again if England get their heads straight.