WATCH: Why Wiaan Mulder declared so close to Brian Lara's record

South Africa’s stand-in Test skipper for the second Zimbabwe Test, Wiaan Mulder, declared on 367 not out at lunch on the second day of the fixture, despite being so close to Brian Lara’s world record of 400*. It was already the highest individual red-ball score by a Protea batter, going past Hashim Amla’s 311, which he got against England in 2012 at the Kennington Oval.

Mulder decided against chasing Brian Lara's record and opted to declare the first innings at 626/5. At the end of the day’s play, he disclosed that the decision came after a small meeting with the head coach, Shukri Conrad, as he was happy to let the legendary West Indies southpaw keep the big score in history. Mulder finished with the fifth-highest individual Test score in the history of the game.

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“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. I thought we got enough from the new ball, and secondly, Brian Lara is a legend. He got 400 against England - for someone of that stature, to keep that record is pretty special.” The 27-year-old addressed Shaun Pollock. 

Watch: Wiaan Mulder declared a decision to avoid Brian Lara’s record

Given the amount of time left in the encounter, Mulder could have easily planned the record. However, more than that, it’s a great relief for the Proteas, who displayed trust in the batter to shoulder the responsibility at number three. After a couple of failures in the opening Test of the series and the WTC 2023-25 final against Australia at Lord’s, his return has impressed their coach.

“Wiaan’s innings was nothing short of extraordinary. Being the captain, then batting at No.3 where he had to absorb early pressure and face the new-ball, which he did with immense composure and control - it was unbelievable. It’s the kind of performance that anchors a team and sets the tone for the entire match. We’re incredibly proud of what he’s achieved today.” Conrad expressed at the end of the day's play.

Zimbabwe were average in their first innings with the bat, getting bundled out for just 170, making the follow-on after the captain of the Rainbow Nations set the platform. The current WTC champions lead the series by 1-0 and could seal the deal by the end of the third day’s play.