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The Evolution of a Phenomenon tends to be defined by specific steps.

1. The Grand Vision

A charismatic leader or figureheads introduce an innovative concept offering a panacea for disconnected individuals.

And so it goes. Plans are in motion to storm the compound in Australia. Pressure is mounting. Signs of trouble appear from the out-houses. An isolated player, naked, shivering, the phrase ATTACKING MINDSET displayed prominently as a statement, has come staggering through the lines and is taken aside in secrecy towards an inconclusive loan stint elsewhere.

Do you recall the beginning, when everything was fresh? The days of Bazball 1.0, of pure instinct.

2. The Honeymoon Phase

Cult leaders promise a reboot, optimism ahead, love, redemption within a community with shared faith in the method.

How did it feel at first? Players celebrating enjoying success. Tattoos. Muscles. Jawlines. Elite male wellness energy. Of course, England’s players insist it’s not a real term, amusingly because if it doesn’t exist, what did we see?

Yet it’s clear what it is. It’s the batsman playing a shot so outrageous it defies description. It’s the thrill of the captain at his peak, an expression conveying: thoughtful warrior, strong features, natural look, truly contemporary you wouldn’t be surprised to look down and see him playing on the ground stripped to the waist holding a fish.

It’s Ben Duckett often seen to talk in press conferences, appearing as a joyful figure smartly dressed, saying stuff like we’re challenging norms. Indeed, the atmosphere, for quite a long time, was uplifting.

3. The Growth Phase

Building period. Unity enforced by rote learning of the cult’s slogans. These ideas can appear contradictory as a test of “true belief”.

Am I alone? The criticism, the outrage, the feeling of letdown post-defeat feels overblown, overdone. The performance was poor during the match, as is typical there. They were dominated defensively in a short span as the bowling and captaincy fell apart, carved around by the batsman imitating their style effectively, adaptive to conditions, an athlete shining with a kind of light around him.

And now we have this the criticism, the rage, the perception of the team as a kind of abomination. The feeling seems to be that defeat must be total, they must be humbled, to be cleansed, obliterated, overwhelmed via traditional methods of the bowler’s action, the simple basics of the veteran, seen enjoying successes humbly similar to getting a rewarding prize. What will this do to them?

4. The Backlash Phase

Problems arise from failures in the plan. But the cult cannot admit errors. It starts to feed on anger towards critics.

Ultimately, half a week out the next match, we are at a critical juncture in the story of this movement. England could quite easily win in Brisbane through aggressive play. Alternatively, they could lose just as quickly. And if they do lose it seems we may see the decline.

Before that happens, a couple of points to consider about this. Previously, during the initial excitement, of optimism and energy, an piece was published suggesting Bazball was a cult. Criticism followed, which demonstrated because everyone knows the best way of proving something definitely isn’t a cult is when its acolytes respond with anger rejecting criticism of the philosophy.

The developments recently are equally notable. Opposition to the style has now become the cult. Social media is furious, angry English pundits, shots of angry middle-aged followers overseas cheated out of three days of cricket, reminiscent of timeshare owners seeking justice.

Meanwhile, there is the broader context of the host’s complex more culturally hard-wired exasperation towards the unconventional visitors, out there saying, your cherished traditions and have fostered and nurtured as one way of separating yourself from the opposition, well, it’s all a bit of a gag ultimately.

And this is the real point. All movements are similar. Bazball was a cult since the sport itself is insular. In fact, the sport in England is closed, a clique, a private event, a closed world with two hundred years of ceremonial past defining it. It has long been where entry is limited. It’s the imperial sport of the nation, the early image-makers. And surprisingly, the country is a phenomenon, a series of esoteric hierarchies, a monarchy still exists.

The team have been sealed up within this world from a young age. In trying to escape from it, to foster positivity, they are mirroring their own experience, creating another a bubble, an exclusive group, but doing it this time with a new team and a leader encouraging individuality as long as yourself is quite a lot like myself.

Focus on the moment. Confront risks. But no matter how fast and far you run, you’re always basically in the same place.

Reflecting on this, now is the time to show understanding for the approach, to appreciate its good points, which are significant. What is Bazball? Promoting liberation. Challenging orthodoxies. Batting aggressively|Attacking with