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Not in Australia's wildest dreams would they have imagined they would be leading two-nil in the current historic rivalry after playing a mere six days of play.

They were put under the pump by England in the first Test at the WACA, before executing a remarkable reversal.

It put them on a wave of confidence going into the Brisbane encounter, where they gave the English side a masterclass on playing the longest format, especially day-night Test cricket.

Series on the Brink

This series remains alive, however, it's not far from it. If England fail to win the third Test, the situation could become deeply humiliating.

I gained a close look at England's style during the 2023 Ashes on English soil. For all of the talk regarding this trip representing their opportunity to ultimately secure a series in Australia, there was a lot of scepticism among Australian pundits concerning the manner England play.

Would England's batting be suited to the pitches in Australia? Would they play big shots and discover methods to get out? Might they collapse when pressure mounted of the big moments?

Right now, all of the Australian observers who were sceptical about England are seeing their views validated.

Mindset and Responsibility

There exists much I like regarding England's mindset. I love it when sportspeople play without fear, because that helps them to extend the limits of potential.

But I don't like the notion that external pressure or high expectations should be eliminated. The great players thrive under pressure, and the best teams hold each other to account.

"Indeed, there existed the coaches such as Simpson and Buchanan, but it was the skipper and experienced players who invariably managed the dressing room."

Even as a newcomer, I believed I had permission to have my say. Every player assumed ownership of the team.

Subsequently, should a player deviated from the standard, they faced consequences by the other players. If someone made a mistake on more than one occasion - which didn't happen very often - they were addressed.

The Australian Blueprint

Our team contained some huge personalities - none bigger than the legendary Shane Warne - but we all felt that what we were doing served the team and our comrades. Matthew Hayden used to say we united because of the love we shared, so extensive was the duration we had as a group.

That accountability, responsibility and flexibility all came together when we stepped onto the pitch as a team.

Certainly, these factors prove simpler when a team is winning, a scenario England are currently not experiencing right now.

Examining the Approach

My worry regarding England stemmed from the philosophy of a rigid style yielded a culture that lacks personal responsibility.

It was almost as if England had concluded pitches must conform to their game, instead of England adapting their strategy to the prevailing conditions.

Finally, in the aftermath of the loss in Brisbane, it appears the penny has dropped.

Both Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum conceded there are issues, and they must to do something about it.

I hold no problems with the statements the English leadership said in public after the Brisbane Test. If Stokes and McCullum have been strong in the media, one can be sure they have been even more even stronger behind closed doors.

A New Version?

Will we now see a new version of Bazball? As I mentioned, I like the element of playing fearlessly. If England can incorporate the ingredients of embracing pressure and mutual accountability, then they may still be on a viable formula.

For all that England have faced criticism, Australia deserve a huge amount for their performance.

If England been informed they would play an Australia team without all of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Lyon, they would have been delighted with anticipation.

And yet, Australia pulled off victory at the Gabba with each of their remaining players standing up.

Key Performers for Australia

Mitchell Starc has been exceptionally brilliant, ably assisted by Michael Neser, Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett.

Wicketkeeper Alex Carey put in an absolute masterclass with the gloves, arguably the finest wicketkeeping performance I have witnessed - and I played with Healy and Gilchrist.

Perhaps the biggest revelation for Australia is the shift in the batting order.

Before the series, when it appeared to be a lot of discussion about the Australia line-up, I stated there was only really one question about one area - batter Usman Khawaja's batting partner.

That discussion is now resolved, simply not in a way anyone expected.

Settling the Order

Ever since Travis Head volunteered to bat as an opener when Khawaja got hurt in Perth, Australia have looked like a different team. Now, there seems there is a chance for Travis Head and Jake Weatherald to cement themselves as the first-wicket duo.

Khawaja might face difficulty to get back in, despite the coach Andrew McDonald has suggested he might feature in the middle order.

Absences and the Next Challenge

Fitness issues will mean English speedster Mark Wood and Australia's Josh Hazlewood being absent for the third Test and the remainder of the series.

This represents a great shame for both athletes. I understand the immense effort required to bowl quickly, the dedication that goes into recovering from setbacks, and how eager both would have been to play a full part in this series. They will be devastated.

The Adelaide Oval will be a good pitch, offering something for batsmen and bowlers. Australia will certainly recall Lyon and it seems Cummins will return to captain the side.

Closing Thoughts

Australia will remember how England recovered from 2-0 down to draw the last Ashes. They are aware England poses a threat.

This time, they hold England in a stranglehold and should not let up merely because key players are coming back. They must avoid get complacent.

An Australian side must always believe it can win every Test it plays, therefore this squad should be thinking about winning 5-0.

England understands they have no choice but to turn things around at Adelaide. Failure to do so, could indeed lead to a 5-0 series defeat.