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The Life Cycle of a Cult is often marked by specific steps.

1. The Grand Vision

A dominant personality or coaches propose an innovative concept pledging a solution for alienated and vulnerable people.

So here we are. Plans are in motion to challenge the establishment in Australia. Tensions are rising. Signs of trouble appear from the sidelines. An isolated player, vulnerable, nervous, the slogan POSITIVE INTENT displayed prominently as a symbol, has stumbled from the field and is being led away with discretion towards an inconclusive loan stint elsewhere.

Remember the beginning, when everything was fresh? The days of Bazball 1.0, of pure instinct.

2. Love-Bombing

Cult leaders promise a reboot, a brighter tomorrow, love, redemption together with shared faith in the method.

What did it represent initially? Players celebrating feeling good. Tattoos. Muscles. Focus. Confident masculinity. Admittedly, England’s players will claim Bazball doesn’t actually exist, amusingly as it’s denied, what exactly did I just watch?

Yet it’s clear what it is. It’s the batsman attempting a move so outrageous it has to be pixelated. It’s the thrill of the leader in his final form, an expression conveying: thoughtful warrior, beard made of wood, untamed style, truly contemporary you half-expect to look down and notice he’s fielding on the ground shirtless and cradling a wild salmon.

It’s the batsman still being allowed to talk in press conferences, resembling a cheerful animal smartly dressed, expressing thoughts like we’re breaking down traditions. And yes, the atmosphere, initially, was entirely positive.

3. The Growth Phase

Building period. Togetherness strengthened by rote learning of the cult’s slogans. These beliefs can appear contradictory as a test of “true belief”.

Does anyone else feel? The reaction, the outrage, the disappointment post-defeat appears excessive, unwarranted. The performance was poor during the match, as history shows. They were dominated defensively for a couple of hours as plans unraveled, carved around by the batsman imitating their style effectively, responsive to the situation, a performer excelling with a kind of light around him.

Currently, we see the criticism, the anger, the sense of English Test cricket as a failure. The feeling seems to be that England don’t just need to lose, they should be dismantled, to be cleansed, destroyed, destroyed through sheer skill of Mitchell Starc’s movements, the simple basics of the bowler, marking his wickets modestly similar to getting a rewarding prize. What will this do to them?

4. Hate Bonding

Challenges surface from failures in the plan. But the cult cannot admit errors. It turns to anger towards critics.

Ultimately, approaching the next match, we are at a critical juncture in the story of this thing. Victory is possible in the next Test through aggressive play. Alternatively, they could lose just as quickly. And if they do lose it appears we may see the death cult phase.

Prior to that, several aspects worth saying about this. In the past, during the initial excitement, of passion and hope, a column appeared suggesting Bazball was a cult. There was outrage, which demonstrated since it’s clear how to confirm that it’s not a closed group is should followers respond with anger objecting to the questioning of the philosophy.

The developments lately are equally notable. Opposition to the style has turned into a movement. We have a uniformly angry internet, angry English pundits, images of frustrated travelling fans cheated out of three days of cricket, reminiscent of timeshare owners seeking justice.

Conversely, there is the broader context of the host’s complex ingrained annoyance at these weirdly passive-aggressive buccaneers, stating, the methods you value and have honed to distinguish yourselves from the opposition, it’s not serious after all.

Here lies the truth. It’s all cults. The style was a trend as the game has its own culture. In fact, the sport in England is closed, a clique, a private event, a closed world with two hundred years of ceremonial past supporting it. It has long been a place where power and access are hoarded. It’s the colonial game of England, the pioneering brand. And notably, the nation has its own culture, a structure of hidden ranks, a royal family remains.

The team have been isolated in this system from a young age. In trying to escape from it, to create a less brutal environment, they are simply replicating their upbringing, forming a new circle, a limited community, but now with 15 cool guys and a leader who wants you to be yourself if you fit the mold.

Focus on the moment. Embrace challenges. Despite efforts, you’re always basically in the same place.

With this mind, it is perhaps the moment to show understanding for the movement, to acknowledge its merits, which are significant. How to define it? Encouraging expression. Questioning traditions. Batting aggressively|Attacking with