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The Journey of a Cult can be marked by clear stages.

1. The Big Idea

An inspiring figure or leaders present a revolutionary approach offering a solution for struggling players.

And so it goes. They’re getting ready to confront the system down in Brisbane. The gunships are circling. Smoke is rising from within. An isolated player, exposed, anxious, the phrase ATTACKING MINDSET displayed prominently in chicken blood, has stumbled through the lines and is taken aside with discretion for a temporary assignment at Derbyshire.

Do you recall the early days, when optimism reigned? The days of Bazball 1.0, of Bazball without brains.

2. The Honeymoon Phase

Team architects promise a fresh beginning, optimism ahead, love, success among a group with shared faith in the philosophy.

What was this thing at first? Just men on a balcony feeling good. Ink. Muscles. Focus. Confident masculinity. Oh sure, England’s players often say Bazball doesn’t actually exist, which is funny as it’s denied, what exactly did I just watch?

Yet it’s clear what it is. It’s the batsman executing a stroke so outrageous it has to be pixelated. It’s the excitement of the leader in ultimate mode, a demeanor suggesting: pensive Nordic god, rugged appearance, untamed style, so authentically Modern Savage you almost imagine to notice and notice he’s fielding at mid-off bare-chested and cradling a wild salmon.

It’s the batsman still being allowed speaking publicly, appearing as a cheerful animal smartly dressed, uttering phrases such as we’re challenging norms. Indeed, the atmosphere, initially, was uplifting.

3. Expansion Period

Development stage. Unity enforced by rote learning of the cult’s slogans. These principles can appear contradictory as a test of “true belief”.

Is it just me? The criticism, the fury, the disappointment post-defeat seems too strong, unwarranted. The batting collapsed during the match, as is typical there. They were torn apart defensively in a short span as the bowling and captaincy fell apart, outplayed by the batsman playing aggressively but smarter, adjusting to the pitch, a man playing with brilliance.

Currently, we see the criticism, the rage, the view of the sport as a failure. The opinion suggests that England don’t just need to lose, they must be humbled, to be cleansed, destroyed, defeated through sheer skill of the bowler’s action, the conventional tactics of the veteran, seen enjoying his wickets modestly similar to getting a nice new fishing rod. What impact will this have?

4. Hate Bonding

Challenges surface from failures in the plan. Yet, mistakes are denied. It turns to anger towards critics.

In truth, half a week out the next match, we’ve entered a delicious point of tension in the journey of this approach. England could quite easily win in Brisbane through aggressive play. More likely, they could lose just as quickly. In case of defeat it appears we could be witnessing the final stage.

Ahead of this, there are two things to consider about this. More than two years ago, back in those heady early days, of optimism and energy, an piece was published calling it a phenomenon. There was outrage, which demonstrated because everyone knows a method to show something definitely isn’t a cult is if supporters respond with anger rejecting criticism of its truths.

The developments recently are equally notable. It seems that hating Bazball has turned into a movement. Social media is furious, angry English pundits, images of frustrated supporters abroad disappointed by the short match, like a room full of investors demanding recourse.

Conversely, we have the wider backdrop of Australia’s more nuanced ingrained annoyance with the aggressive tourists, out there saying, the methods you value and have honed as one way of separating yourself from others, it’s just a joke ultimately.

And this is the real point. Everything is a cult. Bazball was a cult because cricket is a cult. In fact, English cricket has always been a cult, a group, a private event, an insular community with two hundred years of tradition and mystery behind it. It has long been where influence is guarded. It’s the colonial game of England, the early image-makers. And surprisingly, the nation has its own culture, a system of unknown levels, a royal family remains.

England’s cricketers have been isolated in this system for years. Seeking change, to build a better atmosphere, they are just repeating their past, building another enclosure, a limited community, but now with 15 cool guys and a leader promoting authenticity if you fit the mold.

Live where your feet are. Embrace challenges. However much you change, things stay similar.

With this mind, it might be appropriate to show understanding for the movement, to recognize its positives, of which there are many. What does it represent? Creating a sense of freedom. Questioning traditions. Batting aggressively|Attacking with