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The Life Cycle of a Cult can be marked by specific steps.

1. The Grand Vision

A charismatic leader or coaches present a revolutionary approach offering a panacea for struggling players.

And so it goes. They’re getting ready to storm the compound in Australia. Pressure is mounting. Signs of trouble appear from the sidelines. An isolated player, vulnerable, shivering, the words HIGH RELEASE POINT smeared across his chest in chicken blood, has come staggering through the lines and is removed in secrecy to a different team at Derbyshire.

Do you recall the start, when optimism reigned? The days of Bazball 1.0, of uninhibited aggression.

2. The Honeymoon Phase

Team architects promise a fresh beginning, optimism ahead, camaraderie, redemption together with shared faith in the philosophy.

What was this thing back then? Players celebrating basking in glory. Body art. Strength. Focus. Elite male wellness energy. Of course, The team will claim Bazball doesn’t actually exist, which is funny since it’s not recognized, what did we see?

Yet it’s clear its essence. It’s the batsman executing a stroke so outrageous it defies description. It’s the excitement of the leader in ultimate mode, a demeanor suggesting: pensive Nordic god, rugged appearance, natural look, truly contemporary you wouldn’t be surprised to notice and see him playing on the ground bare-chested embracing nature.

It’s Ben Duckett continuing to have permission speaking publicly, out there looking like a happy little woodland creature formally attired, expressing thoughts like we’re challenging norms. Indeed, the vibe, for quite a long time, was uplifting.

3. Expansion Period

Growth phase. Unity enforced by rote learning of mantras. These beliefs may seem irrational as a test of “true belief”.

Is it just me? The criticism, the fury, the feeling of letdown following the initial loss seems too strong, overdone. The performance was poor on the field, as is typical there. They were dominated in the field during a brief period as the bowling and captaincy fell apart, carved around by the batsman imitating their style effectively, adaptive to conditions, a performer excelling with aura.

And now we have this the criticism, the frustration, the perception of the team as a disgrace. The consensus is that losing isn’t enough, they need to lose righteously, to be cleansed, obliterated, destroyed through sheer skill of the bowler’s action, the simple basics of Scott Boland, marking his wickets modestly like he’s just been given a nice new fishing rod. How will they respond?

4. The Backlash Phase

Challenges surface from failures in the plan. But the cult cannot admit errors. It turns to hatred of the outside world.

The fact remains, approaching the next match, we have now reached a critical juncture in the journey of this thing. Victory is possible in the next Test in a blur of adrenal disruption. Alternatively, failure may follow. In case of defeat it seems we really might be entering the decline.

Before that happens, a couple of points to consider about this. More than two years ago, at the start, of light and heat, an piece was published calling it a phenomenon. People were very angry, which demonstrated as it’s known the best way of proving something definitely isn’t a cult is if supporters react defensively rejecting criticism of the beliefs.

Recent events in the last few days are equally notable. Opposition to the style has now become the cult. Social media is furious, critical analysts, pictures of upset followers overseas cheated out of three days of cricket, reminiscent of investors demanding recourse.

Conversely, there is the broader context of the opponent’s mixed ingrained annoyance towards the unconventional visitors, stating, hey, that thing you love and have honed as one way of separating yourself from the opposition, well, it’s all a bit of a gag after all.

Here lies the truth. It’s all cults. Bazball was a cult since the sport itself is insular. In fact, the team has long been exclusive, a circle, a garden party, a restricted environment with centuries of tradition and mystery defining it. It has long been where entry is limited. It’s the colonial game of the British, the original sports washers. And surprisingly, Britain is itself a cult, a structure of hidden ranks, a monarchy still exists.

The team have been enclosed in this system since childhood. Attempting to break free, to foster positivity, they are mirroring their own experience, creating another a bubble, a limited community, but doing it this time with a modern squad and a mentor encouraging individuality if you fit the mold.

Stay present. Run towards the danger. But no matter how fast and far you run, you remain stuck.

Reflecting on this, now is the time to have some sympathy for the approach, to appreciate its good points, of which there are many. How to define it? Promoting liberation. Questioning traditions. Batting aggressively|Attacking with