‘Panicked and blundered,’ says Chris Gayle on Wiaan Mulder’s declaration

Former West Indies top-order batter Chris Gayle on Wednesday, expressed his disapproval of Wiaan Mulder’s decision to declare on 367 not out to let ‘legend’ Brian Lara keep his long-standing record of the highest individual score in an innings in Tests.

The 27-year-old, leading the Proteas for the first time in Test cricket, shattered several major and long-standing records with his monumental knock and also registered the highest individual score by a South African batter in Tests, surpassing Hashim Amla.

He came close to breaking West Indies great Brian Lara’s all-time record of the highest individual score, 400, in Test cricket but the all-rounder decided against it by calling for the declaration.

Wiaan Mulder later revealed that he intentionally let Brian Lara keep the all-time record.

“To be honest, I have never even dreamt of getting a double hundred, let alone a triple hundred. Most importantly, it has put the team in a good position to win this Test,” Mulder had said.

“We had enough to bowl at. Brian Lara is a legend. He got 400 or 401 or something against England, and for someone to keep that record, it is special. I spoke to Shuks (Shukri Conrad) – and spoke about letting the legends keep (that record). Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be,” he added.

Meanwhile, Lara’s former teammate Gayle was not pleased with Mulder’s declaration and shared that he would go after the record if he got the chance.

"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.

"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.

Despite acknowledging Mulder’s generous act, Chris Gayle still reiterated that the former missed out on the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as he believes the South African panicked and blundered.

"I think it was an error from his side, not to try and go to get it," Gayle said. "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," Gayle continued.

"It's the same cricket, Test cricket," Gayle said. "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.

"Like I said, he panicked and he blundered, straight up."