Brian Lara and Wiaan Mulder [Source: @Crycloverajay/x.com]
South Africa’s Wiaan Mulder has made a revelation that has set the cricket world buzzing. The stand-in skipper, who declared the innings while on 367* in the second Test against Zimbabwe, has now revealed that Brian Lara himself wanted him to break the iconic 400* run record.
Wiaan Mulder Reveals Encouraging Words From Brian Lara
Turns out, the man who still holds the highest individual score in Test history, Brian Lara told him that he should have went behind the record.
Speaking to SuperSport, Mulder said, “Now that things have settled a little bit, I've chatted a little bit to Brian Lara. He said to me I'm creating my own legacy and I should have gone for it.”
The revelation has added fuel to the already fiery debate surrounding Mulder’s decision to pull the plug on his innings just 33 runs short of Test immortality. While some hailed the call as a selfless move that put the team first, others are calling it a golden chance missed.
Mulder Stands By His Call
Despite Lara’s backing, Mulder had no regrets. In his own words:
“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.”
He even went on to say that if faced with the same scenario again, he would probably make the same call.
Mulder also shared more about what Lara told him after the match:
“He said records are there to be broken and he wishes if I'm ever in that position again, I actually go and score more than what he had.”
It’s clear the West Indian legend wasn’t just being polite. He genuinely wanted to see his record broken and by a player writing his own chapter, not chasing someone else's.
Chris Gayle Not Impressed
While Lara took the high road, Chris Gayle didn’t hold back. The Universe Boss called Mulder out for what he believes was a missed trick:
“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 a triple century again.”
Gayle even went a step further, saying Mulder “panicked and blundered” by not going after the milestone.
Whether Wiaan Mulder played it safe or stayed true to his values is a debate that will keep cricket fans talking for years. But one thing is for sure: when Brian Lara himself tells you to chase his record, it means you're doing something right.