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The Journey of a Phenomenon tends to be marked by clear stages.

1. The Core Concept

A dominant personality or leaders propose a revolutionary approach that promises a solution for struggling players.

Thus we find ourselves. They’re getting ready to challenge the establishment down in Brisbane. Pressure is mounting. Signs of trouble appear from within. One individual, exposed, anxious, the words HIGH RELEASE POINT smeared across his chest in chicken blood, has emerged into view and is being led away in secrecy to a different team in county cricket.

Remember the start, when optimism reigned? The era of early Bazball, of pure instinct.

2. Love-Bombing

Cult leaders offer a fresh beginning, a brighter tomorrow, support, success among a group with shared faith in the method.

How did it feel initially? A team united enjoying success. Body art. Strength. Focus. Elite male wellness energy. Of course, The team will claim they don’t use the label, ironically since it’s not recognized, what did we see?

But we know the concept. It’s the batsman executing a stroke so depraved it has to be pixelated. It’s the adrenaline of the captain at his peak, a look that says: focused titan, rugged appearance, hair woven from beaver hide, truly contemporary you wouldn’t be surprised to notice and find him positioned on the ground stripped to the waist embracing nature.

It’s the batsman often seen speaking publicly, appearing as a joyful figure in a waistcoat, uttering phrases such as we’re breaking down traditions. And yes, the vibe, for a significant period, was uplifting.

3. Expansion Period

Growth phase. Togetherness strengthened by rote learning of key phrases. These ideas are often illogical to prove commitment.

Am I alone? The reaction, the outrage, the sense of betrayal post-defeat seems too strong, too much. The batting collapsed on the field, as is typical there. They were savaged defensively in a short span when tactics failed, manipulated by the opponent batting like England but better, responsive to the situation, an athlete shining with aura.

Currently, we see the pile-on, the anger, the perception of the team as a disgrace. The feeling seems to be that England don’t just need to lose, they should be dismantled, to be cleansed, flame-throwered, defeated by the vengeful purity of the pace attack, the simple basics of the bowler, out there celebrating achievements with a bashful smile similar to getting a rewarding prize. What will this do to them?

4. Hate Bonding

Problems arise due to setbacks. However, faults are ignored. It turns to hostility externally.

In truth, half a week out the next match, we are at a delicious point of tension in the journey of this movement. Victory is possible overseas in a blur of adrenal disruption. Probably, defeat could come swiftly. And if they do lose it feels like we really might be entering the death cult phase.

Prior to that, a couple of points to note regarding this. In the past, at the start, of light and heat, I wrote an article suggesting Bazball was a cult. Criticism followed, which demonstrated since it’s clear how to confirm that it’s not a closed group is should followers respond with anger denying scrutiny of the philosophy.

What has happened lately are fascinating. Criticism of the approach is now the trend. Social media is furious, angry English pundits, images of frustrated supporters abroad cheated out of three days of cricket, like a room full of investors demanding recourse.

On the other hand, there is the broader context of the opponent’s mixed deep-seated frustration with the aggressive tourists, claiming, hey, that thing you love and have fostered and nurtured as part of your identity culturally from us, it’s not serious after all.

And this is the real point. It’s all cults. Bazball was a cult since the sport itself is insular. Or rather, the sport in England is closed, a clique, an elite gathering, an insular community with a long history of opaque and ritualistic cult history defining it. This has always been a place where power and access are hoarded. It’s the colonial game of the nation, the original sports washers. And guess what, the country is a phenomenon, a structure of hidden ranks, a place that literally still has a king.

England’s cricketers have been isolated in this system since childhood. Seeking change, to create a less brutal environment, they are mirroring their own experience, building another enclosure, a closed circle, but now with a modern squad and a leader who wants you to be yourself provided you conform.

Focus on the moment. Confront risks. Despite efforts, things stay similar.

Considering this, it might be appropriate to have some sympathy for Bazball, to acknowledge its merits, that are numerous. What is Bazball? Promoting liberation. Challenging orthodoxies. Batting aggressively|Attacking with