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The Life Cycle of a Cult tends to be characterized by clear stages.

1. The Big Idea

A dominant personality or leaders propose a revolutionary approach that promises a solution for alienated and vulnerable people.

Thus we find ourselves. Preparations are underway to storm the compound down in Brisbane. Tensions are rising. Conflict emerges from within. One individual, exposed, nervous, the phrase ATTACKING MINDSET written on his body as a symbol, has come staggering through the lines and is taken aside in secrecy for a temporary assignment at Derbyshire.

Do you recall the beginning, when the world was still young? The days of Bazball 1.0, of pure instinct.

2. Initial Adoration

Movement founders offer a new start, optimism ahead, camaraderie, success among a group united in belief in the big idea.

What was this thing back then? Players celebrating feeling good. Ink. Forearms. Determination. Peak performance vibes. Oh sure, The squad insist Bazball doesn’t actually exist, ironically as it’s denied, what did we see?

Yet it’s clear its essence. It’s Harry Brook playing a shot so unconventional it’s beyond belief. It’s the adrenaline of Ben Stokes in ultimate mode, a look that says: pensive Nordic god, rugged appearance, natural look, genuinely raw you almost imagine to glance over and see him playing in the field stripped to the waist holding a fish.

It’s the batsman often seen speaking publicly, resembling a cheerful animal smartly dressed, saying stuff like we’re challenging norms. And yes, the energy, for quite a long time, was only good energy.

3. Expansion Period

Growth phase. Unity enforced through repetition of mantras. These ideas are often illogical as a test of “true belief”.

Does anyone else feel? The backlash, the fury, the disappointment following the initial loss feels overblown, unwarranted. The performance was poor on the field, as they often do in Australia. They were dominated in the field in a short span as plans unraveled, carved around by the opponent imitating their style effectively, adaptive to conditions, a man playing with a kind of light around him.

Currently, we see the attacks, the anger, the view of the sport as a disgrace. The feeling seems to be that defeat must be total, they must be humbled, to be cleansed, obliterated, defeated through sheer skill of the pace attack, the simple basics of Scott Boland, out there celebrating achievements humbly like he’s just been given a nice new fishing rod. How will they respond?

4. The Backlash Phase

Problems arise from failures in the plan. Yet, mistakes are denied. It begins to thrive on hatred of the outside world.

In truth, a few days before from the second Test, we’ve entered an intriguing moment in the journey of this thing. England could quite easily win in the next Test in a blur of adrenal disruption. Probably, they could lose just as quickly. In case of defeat it seems we could be witnessing the decline.

Prior to that, there are two things to note about this. More than two years ago, during the initial excitement, of light and heat, an piece was published calling it a phenomenon. There was outrage, which proved the point as it’s known the best way of proving lack of cult status is if supporters react defensively denying scrutiny of the philosophy.

The developments recently is just as interesting. It seems that hating Bazball is now the trend. Social media is furious, critical analysts, images of frustrated followers overseas cheated out of three days of cricket, like a room full of timeshare owners seeking justice.

Conversely, there is the broader context of the opponent’s mixed ingrained annoyance towards the unconventional visitors, stating, the methods you value and have fostered and nurtured to distinguish yourselves culturally from us, it’s not serious ultimately.

And this is the real point. It’s all cults. The style was a trend as the game has its own culture. In fact, English cricket has always been a cult, a group, an elite gathering, a restricted environment with two hundred years of ceremonial past behind it. This has always been where entry is limited. It’s the British pastime of the nation, the early image-makers. And surprisingly, Britain is itself a cult, a structure of hidden ranks, a royal family remains.

England’s cricketers have been sealed up in this environment since childhood. Seeking change, to foster positivity, they are mirroring their own experience, building another enclosure, a limited community, but now with 15 cool guys and a mentor who wants you to be yourself if you fit the mold.

Focus on the moment. Embrace challenges. Despite efforts, things stay similar.

With this mind, now is the time to have some sympathy for the approach, to acknowledge its merits, which are significant. What is Bazball? Promoting liberation. Challenging orthodoxies. Batting aggressively|Attacking with