West Indies cricket legend Chris Gayle has criticized South Africa’s stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder for missing a golden chance to break Brian Lara’s famous Test record. Mulder was unbeaten on 367 at lunch on day two of the second Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, with Lara’s iconic 400-run mark well within reach. With South Africa in total control of the match, Gayle believes Mulder should have gone for the record, calling it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that he let slip.
But Mulder chose not to go after the record. Instead, he declared South Africa’s first innings closed at 626 for 5, just 34 runs short of Brian Lara’s historic 400. That decision meant Lara’s record as the highest individual scorer in Test cricket still stands.
Lara’s Record Still Untouched as Mulder Walks Away
Explaining why he made that call, Mulder said: “You never know what is destined for me, but Brian Lara keeping that record (of the highest score in Tests) is exactly the way it should be. Brian Lara is a legend. He got 400 against England – for someone of that stature, to keep that record is pretty special.”
“If I could get the chance to get 400, I would get 400. That doesn’t happen often. You don’t know when you’re going to get to a triple century again. Any time you get a chance like that, you try and make the best out of it,” Gayle said to talkSPORT.
Chris Gayle Slams Wiaan Mulder for Missing Record-Breaking Chance
However, West Indies great Chris Gayle wasn’t impressed with Mulder’s decision. He strongly disagreed, saying Mulder “panicked and messed up” by not going for the record when he clearly had the chance. Gayle felt it was a big missed opportunity that Mulder will probably regret.
“But he was so generous and said he wanted the record to stay with Brian Lara. Maybe he panicked; he didn’t know what to do in that situation. Come on, you’re on 367, automatically you have to take a chance at the record. If you want to be a legend, how are you going to become a legend? Records come with being a legend,” he said.
“I think it was an error from his part not to try and go to get it. We don’t know if he would go on and get it or not. But he declared on 367 and he said what he had to say. But listen, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get 400 runs in a Test match. Come on, youngster, you’ve blown it big time!
“It doesn’t matter the opponent, if you get 100 against any team, that’s a Test century. If you get a double or triple, 400, that’s Test cricket. That’s the ultimate game. He panicked, and he blundered, straight up,” Chris Gayle added.
Wian Mulder’s unbeaten 367 from 334 balls is now the fifth-highest individual score in Test cricket history. Among men’s Test matches, only Brian Lara, Matthew Hayden, and Mahela Jayawardena have scored more runs in a single innings.
His incredible innings, which included 49 fours and 4 sixes, is also the highest score ever made by a South African player in Test cricket.
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