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The Journey of a Cult can be marked by distinct phases.

1. The Big Idea

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

And so it goes. Preparations are underway to challenge the establishment overseas. Tensions are rising. Conflict emerges from the out-houses. One individual, vulnerable, shivering, the slogan POSITIVE INTENT smeared across his chest as a symbol, has stumbled through the lines and is being led away with discretion to a different team at Derbyshire.

Do you ever miss the beginning, when optimism reigned? The days of Bazball 1.0, of Bazball without brains.

2. The Honeymoon Phase

Team architects guarantee a new start, a brighter tomorrow, support, salvation within a community who all believe in the philosophy.

What was this thing back then? Just men on a balcony basking in glory. Ink. Muscles. Jawlines. Confident masculinity. Admittedly, The squad often say they don’t use the label, ironically as it’s denied, what did we see?

Yet it’s clear the concept. It’s the player executing a stroke so unconventional it defies description. It’s the adrenaline of Ben Stokes in his final form, a demeanor suggesting: pensive Nordic god, strong features, natural look, truly contemporary you almost imagine to notice and find him positioned in the field bare-chested embracing nature.

It’s Ben Duckett still being allowed addressing the media, resembling a happy little woodland creature smartly dressed, saying stuff like we’re challenging norms. Indeed, the energy, for a significant period, was uplifting.

3. The Growth Phase

Building period. Cohesion maintained via memorization of the cult’s slogans. These ideas may seem irrational as a test of “true belief”.

Does anyone else feel? The backlash, the anger, the sense of betrayal after the first Ashes Test defeat appears excessive, too much. The batting collapsed in Perth, as history shows. They were savaged while bowling for a couple of hours as plans unraveled, outplayed by the batsman imitating their style effectively, adjusting to the pitch, a performer excelling with aura.

And now we have this the pile-on, the anger, the sense of English Test cricket as a failure. The opinion suggests that England don’t just need to lose, they must be humbled, to be cleansed, obliterated, destroyed through sheer skill of the bowler’s action, the conventional tactics of Scott Boland, marking achievements with a bashful smile like he’s just been given a pleasant gift. What impact will this have?

4. Hate Bonding

Issues emerge from failures in the plan. Yet, mistakes are denied. It turns to hostility externally.

The fact remains, a few days before the upcoming game, we are at a critical juncture in the journey of this approach. They might succeed overseas through aggressive play. Alternatively, they could lose just as quickly. Should they fail it appears we really might be entering the death cult phase.

Ahead of this, a couple of points to note on the topic. More than two years ago, during the initial excitement, of light and heat, I wrote an article labeling it a movement. Criticism followed, which proved the point as it’s known how to confirm that it’s not a closed group is should followers react defensively rejecting criticism of its truths.

The developments recently is just as interesting. It seems that hating Bazball has now become the cult. Social media is furious, critical analysts, pictures of upset supporters abroad missing out on play, similar to timeshare owners seeking justice.

On the other hand, there is the broader context of the host’s complex ingrained annoyance with the aggressive tourists, claiming, your cherished traditions and have fostered and nurtured as one way of separating yourself from others, it’s not serious ultimately.

Here lies the truth. It’s all cults. The approach was a phenomenon because cricket is a cult. In fact, the team has long been exclusive, a group, a private event, a closed world with centuries of opaque and ritualistic cult history behind it. Historically, this was a place where power and access are hoarded. It’s the British pastime of the British, the pioneering brand. And guess what, the nation has its own culture, a series of esoteric hierarchies, a monarchy still exists.

The players have been isolated within this world for years. In trying to escape from it, to create a less brutal environment, they are mirroring their past, creating another a bubble, a closed circle, but now with a modern squad and a coach promoting authenticity provided you conform.

Stay present. Run towards the danger. However much you change, you remain stuck.

Reflecting on this, it might be appropriate to show understanding for Bazball, to appreciate its good points, of which there are many. What does it represent? Promoting liberation. Questioning traditions. Batting aggressively|Attacking with