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The Journey of a Cult is often characterized by clear stages.

1. The Big Idea

A dominant personality or leaders propose an innovative concept that promises a panacea for disconnected individuals.

Thus we find ourselves. They’re getting ready to confront the system in Australia. Tensions are rising. Signs of trouble appear from within. An isolated player, vulnerable, nervous, the slogan POSITIVE INTENT smeared across his chest as a symbol, has emerged from the field and is being led away with discretion to a different team at Derbyshire.

Remember the beginning, when optimism reigned? The days of Bazball 1.0, of uninhibited aggression.

2. The Honeymoon Phase

Team architects promise a new start, optimism ahead, camaraderie, salvation within a community with shared faith in the philosophy.

What did it represent at first? Players celebrating enjoying success. Ink. Forearms. Jawlines. Peak performance vibes. Admittedly, The squad often say it’s not a real term, ironically as it’s denied, what did we see?

But we know the concept. It’s the batsman executing a stroke so unconventional it defies description. It’s the thrill of Ben Stokes at his peak, a look that says: focused titan, strong features, natural look, truly contemporary you half-expect to glance over and notice he’s fielding at mid-off shirtless embracing nature.

It’s Ben Duckett often seen to talk in press conferences, out there looking like a cheerful animal in a waistcoat, expressing thoughts like we’re breaking down traditions. Certainly, the atmosphere, for quite a long time, was entirely positive.

3. The Growth Phase

Building period. Togetherness strengthened by rote learning of the cult’s slogans. These beliefs can appear contradictory to prove commitment.

Is it just me? The criticism, the outrage, the disappointment post-defeat seems too strong, too much. England batted badly during the match, as is typical there. They were dominated in the field for a couple of hours when tactics failed, carved around by the opponent playing aggressively but smarter, adaptive to conditions, an athlete shining with aura.

Now there is the criticism, the anger, the view of the sport as a failure. The feeling seems to be that defeat must be total, they need to lose righteously, to be purged, flame-throwered, overwhelmed by the vengeful purity of the bowler’s action, the simple basics of the veteran, out there celebrating successes with a bashful smile like he’s just been given a rewarding prize. How will they respond?

4. The Backlash Phase

Challenges surface from failures in the plan. However, faults are ignored. It turns to anger towards critics.

In truth, approaching the upcoming game, we’ve entered a delicious point of tension in the lifespan of this approach. England could quite easily win overseas with bold tactics. Probably, defeat could come swiftly. Should they fail it seems we could be witnessing the decline.

Before that happens, a couple of points worth saying regarding this. Previously, during the initial excitement, of passion and hope, I wrote an article suggesting Bazball was a cult. People were very angry, which was helpful as it’s known how to confirm lack of cult status is should followers respond with anger objecting to the questioning of the beliefs.

What has happened lately is just as interesting. Opposition to the style has now become the cult. Social media is furious, critical analysts, images of frustrated supporters abroad disappointed by the short match, reminiscent of people wanting fairness.

Conversely, there is the broader context of the host’s complex ingrained annoyance at these weirdly passive-aggressive buccaneers, out there saying, hey, that thing you love and have developed to distinguish yourselves culturally from us, well, it’s all a bit of a gag ultimately.

Here lies the truth. Everything is a cult. Bazball was a cult as the game has its own culture. Or at least, English cricket has always been a cult, a group, a private event, a closed world with centuries of tradition and mystery behind it. Historically, this was where influence is guarded. It’s the colonial game of the nation, the original sports washers. And surprisingly, Britain is itself a cult, a system of unknown levels, a place that literally still has a king.

The team have been enclosed in this environment from a young age. In trying to escape from it, to foster positivity, they are mirroring their past, forming a new circle, a limited community, however with 15 cool guys and a coach promoting authenticity as long as yourself is quite a lot like myself.

Stay present. Embrace challenges. However much you change, things stay similar.

Considering this, it might be appropriate to offer compassion for Bazball, to acknowledge its merits, which are significant. What does it represent? Encouraging expression. Challenging orthodoxies. Batting aggressively|Attacking with