It has been three days since Wiaan Mulder's call of not going after Brian Lara's world record of the highest individual score in Test cricket but the reactions continue to come in. South Africa's stand-in captain stood on the cusp of history as he was batting on 367 not out against Zimbabwe at the lunch break on Day 2 of the second Test in Bulawayo. 400 was well within his sights, and it was almost a given that he would go past the former West Indies captain to make the highest individual score his own in Tests.

However, Mulder stunned one and all when he decided to declare the innings at 626/5 at the lunch break. He is now the fifth-highest individual scorer in Tests. Ahead of the third Test against India, England captain Ben Stokes was also asked about the same, and he was candid enough to admit that Mulder will not get the chance of going past Lara again.

Stokes laughed when he spoke about Mulder's shocking call to declare the innings when 400 was well within his range. However, the England captain also said that he respected Mulder's decision, as it was always about the team first.

“As captain, you’d rather do it to yourself than the captain pulling out on a groundbreaking day. Fair play to him. I think he said something about how it should stay with Brian," Stokes told reporters on the eve of the third Test against India at the Lord's Cricket Ground.

"He’s not going to get that opportunity again (laughs)! Fair play to them,” he added.

Mulder struck 49 fours and 4 sixes in his 367-run innings. He scored the second-quickest triple century while remaining at the crease for 334 deliveries. He also broke Hashim Amla's previous high score of 311 for a South African batsman, which he achieved against England in 2012.

What did Mulder say about announcing?

Wiaan Mulder declared the innings after stumps on Day 2, citing Brian Lara as a legend and the highest individual score record should remain with him.

But Chris Gayle, a former opening batsman for the West Indies, was not happy with his explanation. Mulder should have gone for the 400, since it would have given him the opportunity to become a game legend, he argued.

“He was absolutely panicked and made a mistake,” Gayle said on talkSPORT.

"From his perspective, I believe it was a mistake not to try to go get it. We have no way of knowing whether or not he would eventually obtain it. However, on 367, he made his case. However, it's a once-in-a-lifetime chance to score 400 runs in a Test match. "You've screwed up terribly, young man," he said.

The Test between South Africa and Zimbabwe saw the former easily triumph, winning by an innings and 236 runs. The titles of Player of the Match and Player of the Series were awarded to Mulder.

Mulder also scored a hundred in the second innings of the series opener.
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