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The Evolution of a Cult tends to be characterized by specific steps.

1. The Big Idea

A dominant personality or figureheads introduce an innovative concept that promises a cure for disconnected individuals.

And so it goes. They’re getting ready to confront the system overseas. Pressure is mounting. Signs of trouble appear from the sidelines. An isolated player, vulnerable, nervous, the slogan POSITIVE INTENT displayed prominently as a statement, has emerged from the field and is taken aside in secrecy towards an inconclusive loan stint elsewhere.

Remember the early days, when optimism reigned? The days of Bazball 1.0, of Bazball without brains.

2. Initial Adoration

Movement founders offer a reboot, optimism ahead, camaraderie, success within a community with shared faith in the big idea.

What was this thing initially? Just men on a balcony feeling good. Body art. Muscles. Jawlines. Elite male wellness energy. Oh sure, The squad often say Bazball doesn’t actually exist, amusingly because if it doesn’t exist, what did we see?

Yet it’s clear the concept. It’s Harry Brook executing a stroke so unconventional it defies description. It’s the thrill of Ben Stokes in his final form, a look that says: thoughtful warrior, rugged appearance, hair woven from beaver hide, genuinely raw you almost imagine to notice and find him positioned on the ground shirtless and cradling a wild salmon.

It’s the batsman often seen speaking publicly, out there looking like a joyful figure formally attired, expressing thoughts like we’re challenging norms. Indeed, the vibe, initially, was only good energy.

3. Expansion Period

Development stage. Unity enforced via memorization of key phrases. These beliefs can appear contradictory as a loyalty check.

Is it just me? The reaction, the outrage, the feeling of letdown post-defeat feels overblown, overdone. England batted badly on the field, as they often do in Australia. They were torn apart in the field in a short span as the bowling and captaincy fell apart, outplayed by the opponent imitating their style effectively, adaptive to conditions, a man playing with a kind of light around him.

And now we have this the pile-on, the anger, the perception of the team as a failure. The feeling seems to be that losing isn’t enough, they must be humbled, to be cleansed, obliterated, overwhelmed through sheer skill of Mitchell Starc’s movements, the conventional tactics of Scott Boland, marking achievements modestly as if receiving a pleasant gift. How will they respond?

4. Hate Bonding

Problems arise due to setbacks. Yet, mistakes are denied. It turns to hostility externally.

The fact remains, a few days before from the second Test, we’ve entered a critical juncture in the lifespan of this thing. England could quite easily win overseas in a blur of adrenal disruption. More likely, failure may follow. And if they do lose it seems we could be witnessing the decline.

Before that happens, there are two things to consider about this. Previously, back in those heady early days, of optimism and energy, a column appeared suggesting Bazball was a cult. People were very angry, which demonstrated since it’s clear the best way of proving something definitely isn’t a cult is if supporters respond with anger denying scrutiny of the beliefs.

The developments in the last few days are fascinating. It seems that hating Bazball is now the trend. Social media is furious, angry English pundits, images of frustrated supporters abroad cheated out of three days of cricket, similar to people wanting fairness.

On the other hand, there is the broader context of the opponent’s mixed deep-seated frustration at these weirdly passive-aggressive buccaneers, stating, the methods you value and have developed as part of your identity from others, well, it’s all a bit of a gag ultimately.

And this is the real point. Everything is a cult. Bazball was a cult as the game has its own culture. Or rather, English cricket has always been a cult, a circle, a garden party, an insular community with centuries of ceremonial past behind it. It has long been where influence is guarded. It’s the imperial sport of England, the original sports washers. And surprisingly, the nation has its own culture, a structure of hidden ranks, a place that literally still has a king.

The players have been isolated within this world since childhood. In trying to escape from it, to foster positivity, they are just repeating their past, forming a new circle, an exclusive group, but doing it this time with a new team and a coach encouraging individuality if you fit the mold.

Focus on the moment. Embrace challenges. However much you change, you’re always basically in the same place.

Reflecting on this, it might be appropriate to have some sympathy for Bazball, to appreciate its good points, that are numerous. How to define it? Encouraging expression. Questioning traditions. Batting aggressively|Attacking with