In recent years, nothing has caused more division in the cricket world than Wiaan Mulder's decision to declare South Africa's innings while he was batting at 367, only 33 runs short of matching Brian Lara's world record for the highest-ever total of 400. Mulder "panicked" and "blundered" by not going for Lara's 400 against Zimbabwe in the second Test, according to former West Indies captain Chris Gayle, who is no stranger to achieving big triple hundreds; he had one against Sri Lanka (333) and another against South Africa (317).
Mulder became the fifth-highest scorer in a Test innings and surpassed Hashim Amla's 311* to record the best score by a South African batsman. His score surpassed former Australia captain Mark Taylor's 334* against Pakistan, making him the best score by a batsman away from home. Mulder reached his triple century off 297 deliveries, the second-fastest in Test history, after the record set by Virender Sehwag against South Africa in Chennai, which came off 278 balls.
Mulder had the chance to beat Lara's 400* against England in 2004, but he decided against it, saying that records should be left to legends like Lara. Just as much attention was paid to his justification for pursuing Lara's record as to his choice to declare the innings when on 367.
As an opportunity to reach 400 doesn't come along very frequently in Tests, Gayle while speaking on talkSPORT's Hawksbee and Jacobs noted: "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. 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," Gayle said.
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Mulder also disclosed that he spoke with Shukri Conrad, the head coach of South Africa, who advised him to "let the legends keep the big scores". According to Gayle, if you don't desire to be a legend, you will never become one. "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.
"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!"
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According to Gayle, the opposition has little bearing on Test. At the Test level, scoring against any team is challenging, and a record is a record. "It's the same cricket, Test cricket," Gayle 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 panicked and blundered, the 'Universe Boss' emphasized once more. "Like I said, he panicked and he blundered, straight up."
But Mulder, who was leading South Africa for the first time, had an incredible outing. In the first innings, South Africa bowled Zimbabwe out for 170 after declaring their innings at 626/5. The hosts were asked to follow on and were bowled out for 220 in the second innings, as South Africa won by an innings and 236 runs.
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