Wiaan Mulder joins legendary club with first century as captain

BULAWAYO: Star all-rounder Wiaan Mulder on Sunday marked his debut as South Africa’s red-ball captain with a brilliant century in the first innings of the ongoing second Test against Zimbabwe. 

The 27-year-old from Gauteng came in to bat at No. 3 and reached his hundred with a single off the fifth ball of the 43rd over, bowled by Blessing Muzarabani, on Sunday (July 6).

Mulder became only the third South African to score a century in his maiden Test as captain. The first to achieve this feat was Herbie Taylor, who scored 109 runs against England in Durban in December 1913. 

The second was Jackie McGlew, who scored 104 runs in the first innings against England at Old Trafford, Manchester, in August 1955.

South African Captains with Century on Test Debut as Captain:

• Herbie Taylor vs England, 1913
• Jackie McGlew vs England, 1955
• Wiaan Mulder vs Zimbabwe, 2025

In the broader context, the right-handed batter is now the 35th player in Test history to score a century in his first match as captain. 

Before him, India's Shubman Gill was the most recent to do so, having scored 147 in the first innings of the Leeds Test against England on June 20-21, 2025.

By the end of 61 overs in South Africa’s innings, the 27-year-old was batting on a commanding 156 off 170 balls, surpassing Jackie McGlew’s record for the most runs in a debut Test as South Africa’s captain. 

McGlew had scored a combined 152 runs (104* and 48) across both innings, a mark Mulder has exceeded in a single outing.

If he manages to add at least 44 more runs, he will become just the third player in Test history to score a double century in his first match as captain.

The only two players to have done so are New Zealand’s Graham Dowling (239 vs India in 1968, Christchurch) and West Indies’ Shivnarine Chanderpaul (203* vs South Africa in 2005).