<p>Cricket is a game driven by numbers, milestones, statistics and individual brilliance despite being a team sport. There are certain numbers in this beautiful game that have become epitome of greatness. </p><p>99.94 reminds one of Bradman's average in Test cricket, 100 hundreds belong to the great Sachin Tendulkar, 800 is a synonym for Muttiah Muralidharan's brilliance. 400 is another such number that stands out and has Windies great Brian Lara's name etched against it.</p><p>Despite all this, certain rare but not unreal acts of humility and reverence still shine the brightest. Cricketing world witnessed one such act during the ongoing Test match between South Africa and Zimbabwe.</p><p><strong>Mulder's moment of glory</strong></p><p>Wiaan Mulder, the South African all-rounder who is also captaining the Proteas in this series, caught the cricketing community’s attention not just for his remarkable batting against Zimbabwe during SA's first innings but also for his decision not to break a record. </p>.India’s biggest wins in Test cricket.<p>Mulder had a chance of getting his name etched in history when he was batting on 367 and declared team innings. He had the opportunity to surpass Brian Lara’s iconic 400 not out — the highest individual score in Test cricket. Instead, he chose to declare. His reason? Pure respect for the legacy of the West Indian great.</p><p>Mulder, who had just played the finest innings of his career, stood on the cusp of immortality. Yet, in an era where personal records often dictate headlines and legacy, he chose to preserve a piece of cricketing history. "Lara’s 400 is more than just a number," Mulder reportedly said. "It’s a symbol of genius, flair, and Caribbean pride. I couldn't bring myself to cross that mark out of sheer respect for what it represents."</p><p><strong>A Parallel from 1998: Mark Taylor’s selfless call</strong></p><p>This gesture from the Proteas skipper reminded the cricketing world of another such instance when Australian captain Mark Taylor famously declared his innings at 334 not out in a Test against Pakistan in 1998. Taylor had a very realistic chance of surpassing the great Sir Donald Bradman’s highest Test score of 334.</p><p>Mark Taylor had batted magnificently in the Peshawar Test and the moment he equaled Bradman’s highest Test score, he made a decision that would echo for years to come. Taylor declared the innings overnight, effectively denying himself the chance to eclipse Sir Don Bradman who is unarguably the greatest to have played the game from Australia. He could have easily gone for the personal glory instead chose to put collective success and reverence for history ahead of personal glory as the team needed a win.</p><p>“It just didn’t feel right to go past Bradman,” Taylor said later. “If I had continued, it would’ve been for me, not the team. That’s not how I play.”</p><p>Talking about that innings and his decision to declare, Taylor told <a href="http://cricket.co.au/">cricket.co.au</a>, "I spent hours that night contemplating what to do. I finally got to sleep at about 2 o'clock in the morning...The more I thought about it, I came to the decision that the best thing I can do is declare (and) end up on the same score as Sir Donald, which I'm more than delighted with."</p><p><strong>Records that symbolize more than runs</strong></p><p>Both these instances stand 27 years apart and reflect not just humility, but a deep understanding of the cultural and emotional heritage of this more than 130-year-old sport. Mulder’s tribute to Lara is a reflection of how records in cricket carry stories, identities, and reverence. Lara’s 400 not out remains a towering monument in the sport’s timeline. Had Mulder decided otherwise, he would have rewritten a part of the game's history that he felt was sacred.</p><p>Taylor’s act, too, was guided by a similar emotion and respect. Bradman will always be remembered as a symbol of Australian excellence and to surpass him might have seemed, to some, like sacrilege. Taylor had a choice between equality and superiority, and he showed class in his choice that definitely puts him on a pedestal that is higher than many greats of the game.</p><p><strong>Legends shaping the game</strong></p><p>These acts reiterate that cricket is not just about records but it is equally about legacy, sportsmanship, and respect for legends who shaped this game and made it more attractive. In honoring Brian Lara, Wiaan Mulder hasn’t just won hearts, he has etched his name alongside Taylor in the rarest column of cricketing greatness.</p>
<p>Cricket is a game driven by numbers, milestones, statistics and individual brilliance despite being a team sport. There are certain numbers in this beautiful game that have become epitome of greatness. </p><p>99.94 reminds one of Bradman's average in Test cricket, 100 hundreds belong to the great Sachin Tendulkar, 800 is a synonym for Muttiah Muralidharan's brilliance. 400 is another such number that stands out and has Windies great Brian Lara's name etched against it.</p><p>Despite all this, certain rare but not unreal acts of humility and reverence still shine the brightest. Cricketing world witnessed one such act during the ongoing Test match between South Africa and Zimbabwe.</p><p><strong>Mulder's moment of glory</strong></p><p>Wiaan Mulder, the South African all-rounder who is also captaining the Proteas in this series, caught the cricketing community’s attention not just for his remarkable batting against Zimbabwe during SA's first innings but also for his decision not to break a record. </p>.India’s biggest wins in Test cricket.<p>Mulder had a chance of getting his name etched in history when he was batting on 367 and declared team innings. He had the opportunity to surpass Brian Lara’s iconic 400 not out — the highest individual score in Test cricket. Instead, he chose to declare. His reason? Pure respect for the legacy of the West Indian great.</p><p>Mulder, who had just played the finest innings of his career, stood on the cusp of immortality. Yet, in an era where personal records often dictate headlines and legacy, he chose to preserve a piece of cricketing history. "Lara’s 400 is more than just a number," Mulder reportedly said. "It’s a symbol of genius, flair, and Caribbean pride. I couldn't bring myself to cross that mark out of sheer respect for what it represents."</p><p><strong>A Parallel from 1998: Mark Taylor’s selfless call</strong></p><p>This gesture from the Proteas skipper reminded the cricketing world of another such instance when Australian captain Mark Taylor famously declared his innings at 334 not out in a Test against Pakistan in 1998. Taylor had a very realistic chance of surpassing the great Sir Donald Bradman’s highest Test score of 334.</p><p>Mark Taylor had batted magnificently in the Peshawar Test and the moment he equaled Bradman’s highest Test score, he made a decision that would echo for years to come. Taylor declared the innings overnight, effectively denying himself the chance to eclipse Sir Don Bradman who is unarguably the greatest to have played the game from Australia. He could have easily gone for the personal glory instead chose to put collective success and reverence for history ahead of personal glory as the team needed a win.</p><p>“It just didn’t feel right to go past Bradman,” Taylor said later. “If I had continued, it would’ve been for me, not the team. That’s not how I play.”</p><p>Talking about that innings and his decision to declare, Taylor told <a href="http://cricket.co.au/">cricket.co.au</a>, "I spent hours that night contemplating what to do. I finally got to sleep at about 2 o'clock in the morning...The more I thought about it, I came to the decision that the best thing I can do is declare (and) end up on the same score as Sir Donald, which I'm more than delighted with."</p><p><strong>Records that symbolize more than runs</strong></p><p>Both these instances stand 27 years apart and reflect not just humility, but a deep understanding of the cultural and emotional heritage of this more than 130-year-old sport. Mulder’s tribute to Lara is a reflection of how records in cricket carry stories, identities, and reverence. Lara’s 400 not out remains a towering monument in the sport’s timeline. Had Mulder decided otherwise, he would have rewritten a part of the game's history that he felt was sacred.</p><p>Taylor’s act, too, was guided by a similar emotion and respect. Bradman will always be remembered as a symbol of Australian excellence and to surpass him might have seemed, to some, like sacrilege. Taylor had a choice between equality and superiority, and he showed class in his choice that definitely puts him on a pedestal that is higher than many greats of the game.</p><p><strong>Legends shaping the game</strong></p><p>These acts reiterate that cricket is not just about records but it is equally about legacy, sportsmanship, and respect for legends who shaped this game and made it more attractive. In honoring Brian Lara, Wiaan Mulder hasn’t just won hearts, he has etched his name alongside Taylor in the rarest column of cricketing greatness.</p>
