Mulder declares at 367, misses Lara’s 400; Gayle reacts

Photo: AP

The cricket world is talking about South Africa's Wiaan Mulder after his big decision in the recent Test match against Zimbabwe. Mulder was batting on 367 runs, just 33 runs short of breaking Brian Lara’s world record of 400 not out, but he chose to declare the innings. This means he stopped batting before he could reach the record. Many people have different opinions about this choice, and former West Indies captain Chris Gayle also shared his thoughts.

What Happened in the Match?

Wiaan Mulder was playing an amazing innings for South Africa. He scored 367 runs without getting out. This became the highest score by any South African batter in Test cricket, beating Hashim Amla’s previous record of 311 not out. Mulder's score was also the fifth highest ever by any player in Test cricket history. He made his triple century very quickly, in just 297 balls, which is the second-fastest triple century in Test history. Only Virender Sehwag was faster, with his triple century in 278 balls against South Africa in Chennai.

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Mulder also broke another record. His score of 367* was the highest ever by a batter away from home. Earlier, this record was held by former Australian captain Mark Taylor, who scored 334 not out against Pakistan.

Why Did Mulder Declare?

Mulder had a golden chance to beat Brian Lara's world record of 400 not out made in 2004 against England. But he declared the innings when he was just 33 runs away from this record. When asked about his decision, Mulder said that he believed some records should remain with legends like Brian Lara. He felt Lara was a special player and his record should be respected. Mulder’s choice to stop at 367 surprised many cricket fans and experts.

Chris Gayle’s Reaction

Former West Indies captain Chris Gayle, who is known for scoring big runs himself, was shocked by Mulder’s decision. Gayle has scored two triple centuries in his Test career – 333 runs against Sri Lanka and 317 runs against South Africa. Gayle said on talkSPORT’s Hawksbee and Jacobs show that Mulder “panicked” and “blundered” by declaring on 367.

Gayle explained that getting a chance to score 400 runs in Test cricket is extremely rare. He said if he had been in Mulder’s place, he would have definitely tried to break the record. Gayle added, “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.”

Advice from South Africa’s Coach

Mulder revealed that he spoke to South Africa’s head coach, Shukri Conrad, before declaring. The coach told him, “Let the legends keep the big scores.” Mulder agreed with this thought and declared the innings for the team. However, Gayle did not like this idea. He said, “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.”

Chris Gayle Calls It a Big Mistake

Gayle strongly believed that Mulder made a mistake by not trying to break the record. He said, “I think it was an error from his side, 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!”

Gayle also mentioned that it does not matter who the opponent is in Test cricket. A record is a record, no matter if it is against Zimbabwe or any other team. He said, “Sometimes you can’t even get one run against a team like Zimbabwe if you want to put it that way. 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.”

Mulder’s Great All-Round Performance

Even though Mulder did not break Brian Lara’s record, he still had a great match. This was his first time leading the South African team as captain. South Africa declared their innings at 626 runs for 5 wickets. After that, they bowled out Zimbabwe for 170 runs in their first innings. Zimbabwe had to follow on, meaning they had to bat again immediately. In their second innings, Zimbabwe was bowled out for 220 runs. South Africa won the match by an innings and 236 runs.

Mulder not only scored 367 runs but also contributed with the ball. He took three wickets in the match and also took the winning catch. His performance was praised by his teammates and fans.

Mulder’s decision to declare the innings at 367 runs has created a big debate in the cricket world. Some people respect his choice to honour Brian Lara’s record, while others feel he missed a golden chance to become a legend. Chris Gayle’s comments show how strongly many cricketers believe in making the most of such rare opportunities.

Only time will tell if Mulder will get another chance to break this record in his career. For now, he has shown that he is not just a good batter but also a thoughtful leader for South Africa. His decision might have stopped him from breaking the record, but it has started a conversation about what it means to be a true legend in cricket.