Mulder Bows Out to Preserve Lara’s Historic 400* Record

In a stunning display of form, South Africa’s Wiaan Mulder lit up the second Test against Zimbabwe with an unbeaten 367, the highest individual Test score by a South African. But what made headlines beyond the boundaries of Bulawayo wasn’t just the mountain of runs he amassed, but the one he chose not to chase.

With the legendary Brian Lara’s world-record 400* well within reach and four full days left in the match, Mulder surprised many by declaring South Africa’s innings closed at 626-5, voluntarily closing the door on the chance to break one of cricket’s most iconic records.

“Brian Lara is a legend, let’s be real,” Mulder told South African broadcaster SuperSport. “He got 400 against England and for someone of that stature to keep that record is pretty special.”

The decision, equal parts tactical and symbolic, was rooted in both team-first leadership and deep respect for the game’s greats. “We’d got enough, and we needed to bowl,” Mulder explained, before referencing his coach Shukri Conrad’s advice: ‘Let the legends keep the really big scores.’

Lara’s 400 not out, achieved in Antigua in 2004 against England, has stood unchallenged for 21 years. Mulder’s decision to walk away just 33 runs short rekindled memories of another sporting gesture of humility, when Australia’s Mark Taylor declared on 334 not out in 1998, equalling Don Bradman’s highest score and refusing to go beyond it.

Mulder’s 367* now sits as the fifth-highest score in Test history, joining a pantheon of cricketing titans:

Highest Individual Scores in Test Cricket:

• 400* – Brian Lara (West Indies v England, 2004)
  
• 380 – Matthew Hayden (Australia v Zimbabwe, 2003)
  
• 375 – Brian Lara (West Indies v England, 1994)
  
• 374 – Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka v South Africa, 2006)
  
• 367* – Wiaan Mulder (South Africa v Zimbabwe, 2025)

The 27-year-old all-rounder, captaining South Africa for the first time due to injuries to Temba Bavuma and Keshav Maharaj, played what was only his third Test hundred, following a 147 in the previous match. Batting at number three, a recent promotion in his Test career, Mulder showed both maturity and dominance, reaching his triple-century in just 297 balls ,second only to Virender Sehwag’s 278-ball triple.

There was a slice of fortune too. On day one, he was bowled on 247 by Zimbabwe’s Tanaka Chivanga, only to be recalled after replays showed a no-ball. He made the most of his reprieve, converting it into one of the most talked-about innings in recent history, not just for the runs scored, but the ones he left unscored.

Mulder’s gesture resonated across the cricketing world, but perhaps nowhere more deeply than in the Caribbean. Brian Lara isn’t just a former West Indies captain, he is a cultural icon, a symbol of brilliance, style, and legacy. For a young captain to forego a record-breaking milestone in his honour only underscores the enduring power of Lara’s impact on the game.

As Mulder humbly put it: “You never know what’s destined for me, but I think Brian Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be.”

In a sport so often defined by numbers, Wiaan Mulder’s 367* will be remembered not just for how many but for how much it meant.