South Africa captain Wiaan Mulder's decision to declare the innings, with him batting at 367, and Brian Lara's 400-run record in sight, has divided the cricket fraternity. Mulder explained his decision and said that legends like Brian Lara should keep the record, adding that he would probably do the same thing again if there comes an opportunity.

While many appreciated Mulder's bold move, lauding his respect for Brian Lara, former West Indies cricketer, and a living legend, Chris Gayle feels the Proteas skipper missed out a great opportunity to enter the record books. Gayle said he would have gone after 400 if he had the opportunity, adding that Mulder panicked and didn't know what to do in the situation.

“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 while speaking to talkSPORT.

“But he was so generous and said he wanted the record to stay with Brian Lara. Maybe he panicked, he didn’t know what to do in that situation. 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.

Meanwhile, Gayle further said it was an error from Mulder to not go after the record as it was once in a lifetime opportunity to score a 400.

“I think it was an error from his side, not to try and go to get it. 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!”

Mulder shattered several records en route to a 367-run knock. He went on to become South Africa's highest scorer in Tests, leapfrogging Hasim Amla's 311*, rose to fifth in the list of all-time highest scorers in the format, and registered the highest score by a batter away from home, bettering former Australia captain Mark Taylor's 334 against Pakistan. His triple century of 297 balls was the fastest triple hundred after Virender Sehwag, who scored 300 in 278 balls against South Africa.