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Can England clear those mental hurdles before the next Ashes in this country in 2029-30?
Before that, they have two more chances to end their winless streak, with tests in Melbourne and Sydney.
In my last column, after England’s loss at the Gabba, I said they needed to win the third Test in Adelaide, otherwise this tour could become an embarrassment.
England are winless at Adelaide Oval and now face a huge challenge to avoid a 5-0 loss.
Towards the end of the third Test, England at least showed a willingness to adapt their style, which meant they were competitive.
Why it took two defeats to realize this will remain a mystery. However, the signs of improved performance on the fourth test are good.
However, if we’re talking about mentality, it couldn’t be easier for England.
They are scheduled to play in front of 100,000 spectators at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, most of whom will be well behind Australia. The Boxing Day Test is an institution in Australian sport and the atmosphere on Friday will be tense. It’s going to be a tough place to be an English cricketer.
England must embrace the challenge, engage with it and enjoy it. This could be a valuable lesson for players returning to Australia after four years.
There is still time for England to salvage something from this tour. At the moment, there is a lot of discussion about future contracts, about who might still be involved when England play their next cricket Test in the summer at home.
Those debates will lose their venom if England can end their winless run here.
A 3-2 loss would be much better than a 5-0 loss. If England don’t find a way to change their mentality, it will likely be 5-0.
Glenn McGrath was speaking to Stefan Shimelt, BBC Sport’s chief cricket correspondent
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