'You've blown it big time!': Chris Gayle gives an honest take on Wiaan Mulder not wanting to break Brian Lara's record

South Africa’s Wiaan Mulder may have won hearts with his selfless declaration during the second Test against Zimbabwe, but West Indies legend Chris Gayle believes the young batter missed a golden opportunity to enter cricket’s history books.

Mulder shocked fans and pundits alike when he declared South Africa’s innings at 626/5 in Bulawayo with himself unbeaten on 367, just 33 runs short of Brian Lara’s world-record 400 not out in Tests. The decision sparked a debate across the cricketing world, with some praising the move as selfless, while others felt Mulder may regret it later.

Gayle criticises Mulder’s decision to declare on 367*

Gayle, speaking on talkSPORT, did not hold back in expressing his disappointment. “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,” Gayle said.

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“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. 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,” he added.

Mulder said he declared because the team had enough runs and that he wanted “legend” Lara to keep the record. Meanwhile, Gayle questioned that mindset, calling it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and adding that Mulder has blown it big time.

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“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!”

Despite the missed record, Mulder’s 367 not out is now the highest individual Test score by a South African, surpassing Hashim Amla’s 311*. He also broke the record for the highest score in an away Test and registered the second-fastest triple century in Test history.

Mulder was the stand-in skipper in the absence of Temba Bavuma and Keshav Maharaj. South Africa eventually dismissed Zimbabwe by an innings and 236 runs to win the series 2-0.