New Delhi: South Africa’s stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder came so close to breaking Brian Lara’ world record of 400 runs in Test cricket but opted to declare despite being with the reach. In the second Test match against Zimbabwe, South Africa piled on a mammoth 626 runs on back of Mulder’s triple century as he ended up scoring 367 runs.
Being in a strong position of breaking the world record with just 34 more runs to score, Mulder decided to declare the innings and later in a nice gesture said that he wanted the world record to stay with Lara because he is a big fan of the former West Indies great. While many from the fraternity praised him for the gesture, former West Indies player Chris Gayle criticised the Proteas batters saying that he panicked under pressure and blundered.
Gayle slams Mulder
In an interaction with talkSPORT, Gayle said that if a player is on 367, he has to take a chance at the record. How come you will become a legend if you do not chase a lifetime opportunity.
‘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,’ Gayle told.
‘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,’ he added.
The former cricketer further said that if he would have got an opportunity to break the world record, he would have done it. Because it’s not often that a player gets to score a triple ton and when you do, you should try to convert the opportunity. Meanwhile, World Test Champions South Africa defeated Zimbabwe by an innings and 236 runs in the game.