Wiaan Mulder's heart over stats, stuns everyone after declaring South Africa's innings at 626/5 to spare Brian Lara's '400' World Record

South Africa's stand-in skipper, Wiaan Mulder, prioritised his team's strategic advantage over a personal milestone, declaring team's innings while he was on the verge of breaking the world record for the highest individual score in Test cricket.

Wiaan Mulder gives up Brian Lara's '400' World Record for South Africa's cause

Leading South Africa in the second Test against Zimbabwe at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, Mulder declared the innings at a mammoth 626/5, leaving himself unbeaten on a colossal 367. He was in touching distance of breaking Lara's long-standing record of 400, Mulder decided to declare the innings. Notably, West Indies legend Lara cracked an unbeaten 400 against England at St John’s back in 2004. Nevertheless, with a towering individual score of 367, Mulder etched his name into the annals of cricket history, placing him in the top five for the highest individual Test scores.

ALSO READ: 'Gautam Gambhir deserves every bit of it': Ravi Shastri forced to eat his words after Shubman Gill's India rock England in Edgbaston Test

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.

Mulder's heroic knock was a powerful response to critics, coming at a time when he was shouldering significant responsibility. He was leading a depleted South African squad in the absence of injured World Test Championship-winning captain Temba Bavuma and the rested Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, and Aiden Markram. After a modest performance in the WTC final against Australia, Mulder entered the Zimbabwe series under pressure but showcased sublime form. His aggressive innings, studded with 49 fours and four sixes, completely dismantled the opposition's bowling attack and followed a century and a knock of 147 in the first Test.

Mulder took over the captaincy mantle for the second Test against Zimbabwe after Keshav Maharaj was ruled out of the series.