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The world is talking about why South Africa's stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder didn't go for Brian Lara's '400' World Record despite having a sold chance to get to the milestone. After the end of Day 2's play Mulder himself explained the reason behind going after the World Record. The right-handed batsman found himself tantalisingly close to the milestone, sitting on an unbeaten 367 at the lunch break on the second day of the second Test match against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. However, in a somewhat unexpected move, he chose to declare the innings, opting to give his team an opportunity to bowl at the Zimbabwean batsmen in the subsequent session.
Wiaan Mulder reveals reason behind not breaking Brian Lara's World Record
Following the close of play on Day 2, Mulder elaborated on his decision, stating that Brian Lara is a true legend of the game and deserves to retain his record. The 27-year-old South African all-rounder had been in exceptional form with the bat, leading many to believe he would surpass Lara's record in the initial moments of the second session.
However, contrary to expectations, Mulder made the call to declare the innings. This decision not to continue batting sparked a range of reactions and divided opinions across social media platforms. Notably, prominent cricketers such as Dale Steyn and Tabraiz Shamsi were among those who felt that Mulder had the opportunity to bat on and potentially break the coveted record.
"First things first, I thought we got enough and we need to bowl. And secondly, Brian Lara is a legend, let's be real. He got 401 or whatever it was against England. And for someone of that stature to keep that record is pretty special. I think if I get the chance again, I'd probably do the same thing. I know speaking to the head coach Shukri Conrad, he kind of said to me as well, like, listen, let the legends keep the really big scores," Mulder told SuperSport after stumps on Day 2.
"And you never know what's my fate or whatever you want to call it, what's destined for me. But I think Brian Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be," he added.
Mulder's historic innings was punctuated by an impressive display of boundary hitting, featuring 49 fours and 4 sixes. He maintained a brisk scoring rate throughout his innings, striking at 109.88. In total, he spent 334 balls at the crease. He ultimately decided to declare the South African innings when the team's score reached an imposing 625 for the loss of six wickets.
Reflecting on his achievement, Mulder expressed that it felt incredibly special to score so many runs and to bat for such an extended period, enabling his team to gain a significant advantage in the match. Following his declaration, the South African bowlers quickly capitalised on the pressure created by the batsmen, dismissing the entire Zimbabwean side for a total of 170 runs. This dominant performance allowed the visitors to enforce the follow-on, indicating their intent to secure a swift victory.
"Pretty special. To be honest, I have never even dreamt of getting a double hundred, let alone a triple hundred. Most importantly, it has put the team in a good position to win this Test. When I started playing for South Africa, I was nowhere near good enough. Have had the opportunity to learn from some great players," he further stated.
South Africa first bundled out Zimbabwe for mere 170 innings and then left them reeling at 51/1 by the close of Day 2's play after imposing a follow-on on them.
While Brian Lara's long-standing record of 400 not out, a feat many thought unbreakable, remained intact, Mulder's innings was a record-shattering performance in its own right. The 27-year-old surpassed Hashim Amla's 311 to register the highest-ever individual score by a South African in Test history. Demonstrating breathtaking aggression, Mulder also smashed the second-fastest triple century in Test cricket, reaching the 300-run mark in just 297 balls, narrowly behind Virender Sehwag's 278-ball record. Furthermore, his 367* set a new benchmark for the highest score by a batter in an away Test, eclipsing Hanif Mohammed's 337 against the West Indies in 1958.
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