{"id":10519,"date":"2025-07-10T02:26:13","date_gmt":"2025-07-10T02:26:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/?p=10519"},"modified":"2025-07-10T02:26:52","modified_gmt":"2025-07-10T02:26:52","slug":"stokes-responds-wiaan-mulder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/stokes-responds-wiaan-mulder\/","title":{"rendered":"Ben Stokes Responds to Wiaan Mulder\u2019s Brian Lara Comment: &#8220;He Won\u2019t Get That Opportunity Again&#8221; About Untouched 400"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Here\u2019s England captain Ben Stokes\u2019 take on Wiaan Mulder\u2019s choice to forgo chasing Brian Lara\u2019s record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Wiaan Mulder\u2019s Surprising Decision and Ben Stokes\u2019 Reaction Ahead of Third Test<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"549\" height=\"309\" src=\"https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/image-16.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10520\" style=\"width:750px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/image-16.png 549w, https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/image-16-300x169.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 549px) 100vw, 549px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It has been three days since <a href=\"https:\/\/e2bangla.com\/2025\/07\/10\/tests-shubman-gill-with-long-spell\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wiaan Mulder<\/a> shocked everyone by choosing not to chase Brian Lara\u2019s world record for the highest individual Test score. Mulder was unbeaten on 367 against Zimbabwe at lunch on Day 2 of the second Test in Bulawayo, with 400 well within reach. Yet, he declared the innings at 626\/5, becoming the fifth-highest individual scorer in Tests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ahead of the third Test against India, England captain Ben Stokes was asked about Mulder\u2019s unexpected decision. Stokes laughed at the choice but expressed respect, emphasizing Mulder\u2019s team-first mindset. \u201cAs captain, you\u2019d rather do it to yourself than have the captain pull out on a groundbreaking day. Fair play to him. He said it should stay with Brian,\u201d Stokes said. \u201cHe\u2019s not going to get that opportunity again (laughs)! Fair play to them,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-media-max-width=\"560\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Would Ben Stokes have declared himself with Brian Lara&#039;s record in sight, just as Wiaan Mulder did?<br><br>Something tells us probably not&#8230; \ud83d\ude05 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/vmrGsjsehE\">pic.twitter.com\/vmrGsjsehE<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Test Match Special (@bbctms) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/bbctms\/status\/1942941766245552389?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">July 9, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote> \n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/09\/wiaan-mulder\/\">Wiaan Mulder\u2019s innings of 367 was highlighted by 49 fours and 4 sixes. He faced 334 balls, achieving the second-fastest triple century in Test cricket history<\/a>. Additionally, Mulder set a new record for the highest individual score by a South African batter, surpassing Hashim Amla\u2019s 311 against England in 2012.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What did Mulder say about declaring?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"696\" height=\"364\" src=\"https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/image-17.png\" alt=\"Wiaan Mulder\n\" class=\"wp-image-10521\" style=\"width:750px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/image-17.png 696w, https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/image-17-300x157.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After stumps on Day 2, Wiaan Mulder explained his decision to declare the innings, saying Brian Lara is a legend and the highest individual score record should remain with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, former West Indies opener Chris Gayle strongly disagreed. Speaking on talkSPORT, Gayle said Mulder \u201cpanicked\u201d and made a big mistake by not pushing for 400. \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/07\/tendulkar-to-shubman-gill\/\">It\u2019s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get 400 runs in a Test match. Come on, youngster, you\u2019ve blown it big time<\/a>,\u201d Gayle added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>South Africa went on to comfortably win the Test against Zimbabwe by an innings and 236 runs. Mulder was named Player of the Match and Player of the Series, having also scored a century in the first innings of the series opener.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"sign-up-fast-for-e-2-bet-and-enjoy-a-free-bonus-on-your-first-registration\">Sign Up Fast For&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/\">E2Bet<\/a>&nbsp;And Enjoy A Free Bonus On Your First Registration!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/index.php\/e2bet-bonus\/\">How To Get Free Bonus On E2Bet<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/\">What is E2bet<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here\u2019s England captain Ben Stokes\u2019 take on Wiaan Mulder\u2019s choice to forgo chasing Brian Lara\u2019s record. Wiaan Mulder\u2019s Surprising Decision [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":10522,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[999,83,12],"tags":[43,367,47,34,33],"class_list":["post-10519","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cricket","category-cricket-news","category-news","tag-cricket-news","tag-e2bet","tag-latest-cricket-news","tag-todays-cricket-highlights","tag-todays-cricket-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10519","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10519"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10519\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10523,"href":"https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10519\/revisions\/10523"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10522"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10519"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10519"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e2bangladesh.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10519"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}