ZIM vs SA 2025: Brian Lara told me I should have gone for the record: Wiaan Mulder

South African all-rounder Wiaan Mulder scored an unbeaten 367 in the second Test of the two-match series against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. Surprisingly, he declared the innings just 34 runs short of breaking West Indies great Brian Lara’s record of 400 not out.

Mulder later mentioned that he had a brief conversation with Lara, who told him he was creating his own legacy. Lara also said that records are meant to be broken and expressed hope that if Mulder ever found himself in a similar position again, he would go on to surpass the record.

“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 400-run record). 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,” Mulder said on SuperSport.

Mulder’s decision sparked widespread discussion within the cricketing fraternity. Following the innings, he stated that Lara deserved to keep the record, adding that some things are best left untouched. Mulder’s 367 remains the highest individual score for South Africa and the fifth-highest in Test history.

He also revealed that South Africa’s head coach, Shukri Conrad, shared a similar sentiment, saying that legends should be allowed to keep such monumental records. However, former West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle felt that Mulder may have panicked and made a mistake by not pursuing what he called a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“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. If you want to be a legend … How are you going to become a legend? Records come with being a legend,” Gayle said on talkSPORT.

South Africa’s next assignment is the Zimbabwe T20 Tri-Series, featuring Zimbabwe and New Zealand. The tournament kicks off on July 14, with the opening match between Zimbabwe and South Africa in Harare.