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The Evolution of a Cult tends to be marked by clear stages.

1. The Grand Vision

An inspiring figure or leaders introduce an innovative concept offering a panacea for alienated and vulnerable people.

Thus we find ourselves. Plans are in motion to storm the compound in Australia. Pressure is mounting. Signs of trouble appear from the out-houses. An isolated player, exposed, anxious, the words HIGH RELEASE POINT written on his body in chicken blood, has stumbled into view and is being led away in secrecy towards an inconclusive loan stint in county cricket.

Do you recall the early days, when optimism reigned? The era of early Bazball, of pure instinct.

2. The Honeymoon Phase

Cult leaders guarantee a fresh beginning, hope for a future, camaraderie, redemption together with shared faith in the method.

What was this thing at first? Players celebrating feeling good. Ink. Strength. Focus. Peak performance vibes. Admittedly, The squad often say Bazball doesn’t actually exist, amusingly since it’s not recognized, what did we see?

But we know the concept. It’s the player attempting a move so unconventional it’s beyond belief. It’s the adrenaline of the captain in his final form, a look that says: pensive Nordic god, strong features, natural look, truly contemporary you half-expect to glance over and see him playing in the field bare-chested holding a fish.

It’s the opener still being allowed addressing the media, resembling a happy little woodland creature in a waistcoat, uttering phrases such as we’re challenging norms. Certainly, the vibe, for quite a long time, was uplifting.

3. Expansion Period

Development stage. Togetherness strengthened via memorization of key phrases. These principles may seem irrational to prove commitment.

Is it just me? The criticism, the outrage, the feeling of letdown post-defeat appears excessive, too much. The batting collapsed in Perth, as history shows. They were torn apart in the field for a couple of hours when tactics failed, carved around by Travis Head batting like England but better, adaptive to conditions, a man playing with aura.

Now there is the attacks, the frustration, the perception of the team as a failure. The consensus is that England don’t just need to lose, they must be humbled, to be cleansed, destroyed, destroyed via traditional methods of Mitchell Starc’s movements, the low-fi orthodoxies of the veteran, seen enjoying his wickets modestly similar to getting a rewarding prize. What will this do to them?

4. Hate Bonding

Challenges surface because of mistakes. Yet, mistakes are denied. It starts to feed on hatred of the outside world.

Ultimately, approaching the upcoming game, we’ve entered an intriguing moment in the lifespan of this thing. England could quite easily win in the next Test in a blur of adrenal disruption. More likely, they could lose just as quickly. Should they fail it seems we may see the final stage.

Before that happens, several aspects to consider about this. Previously, back in those heady early days, of optimism and energy, I wrote an article labeling it a movement. There was outrage, which was helpful because everyone knows the best way of proving lack of cult status is if supporters send hundreds of furiously one-eyed messages objecting to the questioning of the beliefs.

The developments in the last few days is just as interesting. Criticism of the approach has turned into a movement. Social media is furious, disappointed commentators, pictures of upset travelling fans missing out on play, reminiscent of investors demanding recourse.

Meanwhile, there is the broader context of Australia’s more nuanced deep-seated frustration with the aggressive tourists, stating, hey, that thing you love and have fostered and nurtured as one way of separating yourself culturally from us, it’s not serious after all.

Here lies the truth. All movements are similar. Bazball was a cult because cricket is a cult. In fact, the team has long been exclusive, a circle, a private event, a restricted environment with centuries of opaque and ritualistic cult history defining it. Historically, this was a place where power and access are hoarded. It’s the colonial game of the British, the early image-makers. And surprisingly, the nation has its own culture, a system of unknown levels, a monarchy still exists.

The team have been isolated in this system since childhood. In trying to escape from it, to foster positivity, they are simply replicating their past, forming a new circle, a closed circle, but doing it this time with a modern squad and a mentor encouraging individuality as long as yourself is quite a lot like myself.

Focus on the moment. Run towards the danger. But no matter how fast and far you run, things stay similar.

With this mind, it is perhaps the moment to have some sympathy for Bazball, to recognize its positives, that are numerous. What is Bazball? Creating a sense of freedom. Questioning traditions. Batting aggressively|Attacking with