August 7, 2023

Celebrating The Bridesmaid

Last week, Stuart Broad retired in glory (last ball he bowled was a wicket and the last ball he faced was a six) at the Ashes. And for me, he represented a class that was often not the most celebrated, but quietly performed their tasks and always had their times of glory intermittently. The class of #2s. The bridesmaids.

Broad was always the foil to the more celebrated Anderson. In wickets, in wickets/ test, in 5-wicket hauls and in glamor. But when it mattered most to England, in the Ashes, he always shone brighter. In toil, in hot summer days, and when the pitch wasn’t at his best, the captain’s man. A true #2.

I first came up with this concept when growing up. I grew up in Cuttack, in all manner and forms, the #2 in the state behind Bhubaneswar, the capital city. I remember in the very early days, there was this big motivation to do better than the kids there, in practically everything. I am sure that it pushed the ones in Bhubaneswar too to keep themselves at the top, but for us it was mostly our only driving force.

While also growing up, I used to idolize Stefan Edberg at tennis, the handsome, gentle Swede. A perennial #2 to first Boris Becker, and then Jim Courier. His epic battles with both were a toast of that era. It somehow pushed me to believe that not only do the #2s work harder, but they are also the more stylish and gentler – it’s just that they are not destined to be.

I saw that again, later, in Rafael Nadal, firstly second to Federer and then to Djokovic. Clearly the one who tried more, who had more grit, but just not willed. Same for Lee Chong Wei for a long time to the Chinese Men’s Badminton Champion, Lin Dan. Sports gives us many such stories. Each a great #2, in his own right.

At @OfBusiness and @Oxyzo too, we have this #2 mindset. Never believe that you’re at the top. There is always a dream to chase. Hence the grit, passion and commitment shows. Any day, we’d prefer a #2 who’s striving hard than a sleepy #1 (obviously an always striving #1 is the best). For, without a #2, there is no #1.

#lifeatofbusiness
#lifeatoxyzo