Former West Indies captain Chris Gayle has weighed in on the recent cricketing debate that has lit up the sport’s global stage, as he openly criticised South Africa’s stand-in Test captain Wiaan Mulder's decision not to chase down Brian Lara’s historic 400-run Test record.
Mulder, who finished unbeaten on a mammoth 367 against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, opted to declare the innings rather than push for the record, as he cited his respect for Lara’s feat as the reason. But Gayle, a former teammate of Lara, believes the 27-year-old blundered by not capitalising on a rare “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,” Gayle said bluntly during an interview with talkSPORT.
Wiaan Mulder
Gayle acknowledged Mulder’s sentiment around preserving Lara’s legacy but said the South African may have simply panicked in unfamiliar territory.
"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," Gayle opined.
Mulder, batting at number three in just his 21st Test, batted fluently throughout to get to 264 not out at the close of play on day one. By the time lunch was taken the following day, he had moved to 367, within striking distance of Lara’s iconic 400 not out. But South Africa never resumed their innings, as they declared the moment the break ended.
Brian Lara
Gayle believes that, regardless of the opposition, Mulder missed out on a defining career milestone.
"It's the same cricket, Test cricket. Sometimes you can't even get one run against a team like Zimbabwe, if you want to put it that way. It doesn't matter the opponent; if you get a hundred against any team, that's a Test century. If you get a double or triple, 400, that's Test cricket. That's the ultimate game," Gayle stressed.
"I think it was an error on 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.