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

1. The Grand Vision

A charismatic leader or coaches propose an innovative concept pledging a cure for struggling players.

So here we are. They’re getting ready to storm the compound down in Brisbane. Pressure is mounting. Signs of trouble appear from the sidelines. An isolated player, exposed, anxious, the phrase ATTACKING MINDSET smeared across his chest as a symbol, has emerged from the field and is taken aside with discretion towards an inconclusive loan stint in county cricket.

Remember the start, when the world was still young? The days of Bazball 1.0, of uninhibited aggression.

2. The Honeymoon Phase

Cult leaders guarantee a new start, optimism ahead, camaraderie, salvation within a community with shared faith in the big idea.

How did it feel initially? A team united basking in glory. Ink. Forearms. Focus. Peak performance vibes. Oh sure, The squad insist they don’t use the label, which is funny because if it doesn’t exist, what exactly did I just watch?

However, everyone understands what it is. 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 demeanor suggesting: pensive Nordic god, strong features, natural look, so authentically Modern Savage you half-expect to look down and notice he’s fielding at mid-off stripped to the waist and cradling a wild salmon.

It’s the batsman often seen to talk in press conferences, resembling a cheerful animal smartly dressed, uttering phrases such as we’re breaking down traditions. And yes, the vibe, for quite a long time, was only good energy.

3. Expansion Period

Development stage. Unity enforced through repetition of mantras. These principles are often illogical to prove commitment.

Am I alone? The backlash, the outrage, the sense of betrayal after the first Ashes Test defeat appears excessive, overdone. The batting collapsed in Perth, as is typical there. They were dominated while bowling for a couple of hours as the bowling and captaincy fell apart, outplayed by the batsman imitating their style effectively, adjusting to the pitch, an athlete shining with brilliance.

Now there is the criticism, the frustration, the view of the sport as a kind of abomination. The consensus is that losing isn’t enough, they must be humbled, to be purged, flame-throwered, defeated via traditional methods of the bowler’s action, the low-fi orthodoxies of Scott Boland, out there celebrating achievements with a bashful smile similar to getting a rewarding prize. What impact will this have?

4. Hate Bonding

Issues emerge due to setbacks. But the cult cannot admit errors. It turns to anger towards critics.

In truth, half a week out the next match, we are at an intriguing moment in the lifespan of this approach. They might succeed in the next Test through aggressive play. Probably, defeat could come swiftly. Should they fail it seems we may see the final stage.

Before that happens, a couple of points to note about this. More than two years ago, back in those heady early days, of light and heat, I wrote an article labeling it a movement. There was outrage, which proved the point because everyone knows the best way of proving lack of cult status is if supporters react defensively rejecting criticism of the philosophy.

What has happened recently are fascinating. Opposition to the style has now become the cult. Online outrage is widespread, disappointed commentators, shots of angry middle-aged travelling fans disappointed by the short match, reminiscent of investors demanding recourse.

Conversely, exists the larger scene of the host’s complex deep-seated frustration towards the unconventional visitors, out there saying, the methods you value and have fostered and nurtured as part of your identity from the opposition, well, it’s all a bit of a gag ultimately.

This is the core issue. It’s all cults. Bazball was a cult as the game has its own culture. Or at least, the sport in England is closed, a group, a private event, a restricted environment with centuries of opaque and ritualistic cult history defining it. Historically, this was where influence is guarded. It’s the British pastime of England, the original sports washers. And notably, the country is a phenomenon, a system of unknown levels, a place that literally still has a king.

The players have been enclosed in this system since childhood. In trying to escape from it, to create a less brutal environment, they are simply replicating their own experience, creating another a bubble, an exclusive group, but now with a new team and a coach who wants you to be yourself if you fit the mold.

Stay present. Run towards the danger. Despite efforts, you’re always basically in the same place.

Reflecting on this, it is perhaps the moment to show understanding for the movement, to acknowledge its merits, that are numerous. What does it represent? Promoting liberation. Challenging orthodoxies. Batting aggressively|Attacking with