Wiaan Mulder reveals Brian Lara wanted him to break record
What's the story
South African all-rounder Wiaan Mulder has revealed that West Indies cricketing legend Brian Lara wanted him to break his world record score during a recent Test match against Zimbabwe. The revelation came after Mulder fell just 33 runs short of Lara's record of 400 not out in the second Test match. Despite being so close, he chose to declare South Africa's innings at 626/5 instead of chasing the elusive milestone.
Controversy
Mulder's decision sparks debate
SA's stand-in captain Mulder's decision to declare his innings at 367* instead of going for Lara's record has divided opinions. While some have praised his sportsmanship, others have criticized him for not chasing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. "Now that things have settled a little bit, I've chatted a little bit to Brian Lara," Mulder told SuperSport. "He said to me I'm creating my own legacy and I should have gone for it."
Justification
'That is exactly the way it should be'
After his innings, Mulder defended his decision to leave Lara's record intact. He said, "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 added that if given another chance, he would likely make the same choice again.
Legacy talk
Lara's advice to Mulder
Mulder also revealed that Lara told him he was creating his own legacy and should have gone for it. "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 further. Despite this, Mulder still believes he did the right thing by respecting the game.
Criticism
Gayle slams Mulder for not going after the record
Chris Gayle, the West Indies cricketing icon, was not happy with Mulder's decision. He said that Mulder "panicked and blundered" by not going after the record. Gayle said, "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."