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The Evolution of a Cult tends to be marked by distinct phases.

1. The Big Idea

A charismatic leader or coaches present a new and transcendent idea pledging a panacea for disconnected individuals.

Thus we find ourselves. Plans are in motion to storm the compound in Australia. Tensions are rising. Conflict emerges from the out-houses. An isolated player, vulnerable, shivering, the words HIGH RELEASE POINT displayed prominently as a statement, has stumbled into view and is being led away with discretion to a different team elsewhere.

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

2. Initial Adoration

Cult leaders guarantee a new start, a brighter tomorrow, support, success among a group who all believe in the method.

How did it feel back then? A team united basking in glory. Ink. Muscles. Jawlines. Peak performance vibes. Oh sure, England’s players insist they don’t use the label, ironically as it’s denied, what exactly did I just watch?

Yet it’s clear the concept. It’s the player executing a stroke so outrageous it defies description. It’s the thrill of the captain at his peak, a look that says: pensive Nordic god, beard made of wood, hair woven from beaver hide, genuinely raw you almost imagine to notice and see him playing in the field bare-chested holding a fish.

It’s the batsman often seen speaking publicly, out there looking like a cheerful animal formally attired, saying stuff like we’re challenging norms. Indeed, the atmosphere, for a significant period, was uplifting.

3. A New Life

Development stage. Cohesion maintained by rote learning of mantras. These ideas are often illogical as a loyalty check.

Does anyone else feel? The reaction, the outrage, the disappointment post-defeat seems too strong, too much. The batting collapsed on the field, as is typical there. They were torn apart defensively during a brief period as plans unraveled, carved around by the batsman playing aggressively but smarter, adjusting to the pitch, an athlete shining with a kind of light around him.

Now there is the pile-on, the frustration, the view of the sport as a disgrace. The opinion suggests that defeat must be total, they must be humbled, to be purged, obliterated, overwhelmed via traditional methods of the bowler’s action, the conventional tactics 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. External Conflict

Issues emerge due to setbacks. Yet, mistakes are denied. It turns to hatred of the outside world.

The fact remains, approaching from the second Test, we are at a critical juncture in the journey of this movement. England could quite easily win in the next Test in a blur of adrenal disruption. More likely, defeat could come swiftly. In case of defeat it seems we may see the decline.

Prior to that, a couple of points to note regarding this. In the past, at the start, of optimism and energy, a column appeared calling it a phenomenon. Criticism followed, which was helpful because everyone knows the best way of proving lack of cult status is when its acolytes send hundreds of furiously one-eyed messages denying scrutiny of the beliefs.

Recent events in the last few days is just as interesting. Criticism of the approach has turned into a movement. We have a uniformly angry internet, angry English pundits, shots of angry middle-aged supporters abroad cheated out of three days of cricket, reminiscent of investors demanding recourse.

Meanwhile, we have the wider backdrop of the host’s complex ingrained annoyance with the aggressive tourists, stating, hey, that thing you love and have honed to distinguish yourselves from others, well, it’s all a bit of a gag after all.

And this is the real point. It’s all cults. The style was a trend as the game has its own culture. Or at least, English cricket has always been a cult, a group, a garden party, an insular community with centuries of ceremonial past behind it. Historically, this was where entry is limited. It’s the British pastime of England, the original sports washers. And notably, the country is a phenomenon, a structure of hidden ranks, a monarchy still exists.

The players have been sealed up within this world for years. In trying to escape from it, to foster positivity, they are simply replicating their past, creating another a bubble, an exclusive group, however with 15 cool guys and a mentor promoting authenticity if you fit the mold.

Live where your feet are. Run towards the danger. But no matter how fast and far you run, you remain stuck.

With this mind, it is perhaps the moment to have some sympathy for Bazball, to acknowledge its merits, that are numerous. How to define it? Encouraging expression. Questioning traditions. Batting aggressively|Attacking with