Chris Gayle Criticizes Wiaan Mulder for Missing Chance to Break Lara’s 400* Record

Kingston: South Africa’s stand-in Test skipper Wiaan Mulder is being praised globally for his selfless decision to declare the innings while batting on *367 against Zimbabwe, just 33 runs short of Brian Lara’s iconic *400-run world record. But one legendary West Indian, Chris Gayle, disagrees strongly and calls it a “blunder.”

Mulder, whose decision won accolades for prioritizing the team’s interests over personal glory, had said:

“Brian Lara scored an unbeaten 400 against England — that record belongs to a legend and should remain with a legend. It’s something special. Even if I get the opportunity again, I’d make the same call. I had a discussion with my coach Shukri Conrad, who also felt that such massive records are best left untouched if they belong to legends. That thought really resonated with me.”

But Chris Gayle wasn’t buying it. He believes Mulder let fear get the better of him:

“He was probably overwhelmed thinking about whether or not to break Lara’s world record — and made the wrong call. You don’t get many chances to reach 400. Who knows when he’ll score another triple century?”

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Gayle, who came close himself with Test scores of 333 vs Sri Lanka and 317 vs South Africa, never managed to surpass Lara’s mark.

“If I were in his place, that record would’ve been broken,” said Gayle firmly.

While Mulder’s humility is being celebrated, Gayle’s stance has sparked debate over whether modern players should pursue greatness or honor legacy. Either way, Lara’s legendary 400* remains untouched — for now.