Wiaan Mulder reveals Brian Lara’s reaction to his surprise declaration

South Africa all-rounder Wiaan Mulder on Thursday, disclosed his conversation with West Indies legend Brian Lara after he decided against breaking his 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.

Mulder’s declaration, however, was not welcomed by former cricketers, including Lara’s former teammate Chris Gayle, who believed the South African all-rounder ‘panicked and blundered’.

Meanwhile, as per the latest development, Mulder shared he had a brief conversation with Lara, who told him that he should have gone for the record.

"Now that things have settled a little bit, I've chatted a little bit to Brian Lara," Mulder said.

"He said to me I'm creating my own legacy and I 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,” he added.

Despite Lara’s advice, Wiaan Mulder believed he made the right call, citing his respect for the game as the most important part.

"That was an interesting point of view from his side, but I still believe I did the right thing and respecting the game is the most important part for me."