Wiaan Mulder vs Brian Lara debate: Ex-England captain apologises to South Africa's stand-in captain - 'Fair play to him'
Former England captain Alastair Cook was one of the many who criticised Wiaan Mulder's promotion to No. 3 in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa. Mulder had scored 6 and 27 in the WTC final.
The 27-year-old is currently leading South Africa in the absence of Temba Bavuma against Zimbabwe.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
SUBSCRIBE NOW!
Mulder is in the news for declaring South Africa's innings when he himself was batting on 367 in Bulawayo. His declaration came at lunch on the second day, when South Africa were 626/5. He was only 33 runs away from breaking Brian Lara's 400, the highest individual score in Test cricket.
"I would have gone to 385, become the second highest, and then declared.
Just one thing—I think when I was on that last Test match in the World Test Championship, I said he is not a number three (laughs). He is about to break the record. Fair play to him to say no," Cook said on the Stick To Cricket podcast.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan too had echoed Cook's sentiment and said: "I'd reckon I would have got to 395."
South Africa won the Test by an innings and 236 runs to win the series 2-0.
"I think respecting the game is really important; letting someone like Lara keep his record," Mulder had said.
"He's one of the greatest to ever have played the game, so he deserves that. And yeah, I think we're still in a great position to win the game, and that's all that matters."
Mulder was sad that he had knocked Amla and his 311 not out against England at The Oval in July 2012.
"I've worked with Hash [now the Lions' batting coach] over the last couple of years, and he's obviously a hall-of-famer," he said.
"So it's truly special to go past his record. But I always feel like a lot of the legends deserve certain accolades. I'm by no means close to a legend, so someone like Hash deserves to hold that record."
Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
an hour ago
- News18
'Rishabh Pant At Lord's...': India Wicketkeeper Promises 'Iconic' Performance
Last Updated: India stars - KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Mohammed Siraj - recall the team's famous Lord's Triumph on the 2021 England tour. Part of India's remarkable triumph at Lord's during the 2021 Test tour of England, the trio of Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul and Mohammed Siraj expressed their delight upon returning to the iconic venue and look ahead to an exciting contest as they face England in the third Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy from today. In a special clip shared by the BCCI, the three stars echoed the message of 'Believed in 2021, Belief in 2025' ahead of the Test match, where Team India will be eyeing a 2-1 series lead after an inspirational comeback victory in Birmingham, overcoming their frustrating defeat at Headingley. Rahul, who struck a magnificent first-innings century to set up India's memorable victory at Lord's on the previous trip, shared his feelings of having come back to the ground. 'My experience of having played here with a lot of pride and happiness. A happy feeling to come here and enter the dressing room, see the honours board and have your name on it. Hopefully, I can put in a great performance here once again and make sure I get as many runs as I can and put the team in a winning position," he said. Pant also recalled the wonderful Test where fortunes shifted back and forth before the then captain Virat Kohli's feisty brigade unleashed 60 overs of hell on the English side on the final afternoon and emerged victorious after an excellent performance from the fast bowlers. 'Everyone knows it's an iconic ground. Getting everyone together to win that Test match was so amazing to see," said Pant, now the vice-captain. 'God has been kind that I got a chance again with a different team in a different environment in a different role. This is something we're going to take from the last match as a team, lots of confidence and hopefully we can make it a 2-1 series lead now," he added. Pant wants to carve his own niche and hopes to deliver an iconic performance at the historic venue. 'I am trying to make my own identity. And Lord's everyone knows is an iconic ground. When we Rishabh Pant at Lord's, it's going to be iconic," he said. Siraj, who played a key role in that Lord's win four years ago, hopes he continues to deliver the goods. 'I am so grateful because in 2021, the match we won," said Siraj, who had taken four wickets apiece in the two innings and helped India achieve 151-run victory. 'As a player, having your name on the honours board. I want to perform for my team and help it win," he added. view comments First Published: July 10, 2025, 15:09 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
IND vs ENG, 3rd Test, Day 1 Live Updates: Prasidh set to make way for Bumrah at Lord's
6 bowling options, says Sunil Gavaskar. The batting great wants India to play Kuldeep Yadav instead of Nitish Reddy. Are three spinners a bit too much at Lord's? Gavaskar says he needs a bit of magic from Kuldeep if England get a big partnership at any point in the match. Keep in mind, the weather forecast for the Test match looks excellent. It's going to be hot throughout the Test with the temperate going beyond 30 degrees Celsius. It's looking bright and sunny on Day 1 morning . "If you look at this, it looks like a lively patch of grass. There is a little bit of moisture. There would be something for the seamers—if not from the grass, then from the slope. But it also looks like a good pitch to bat on, especially after the first session. This is a more bowling-friendly pitch than the last two, so if England chose to bowl first on those two pitches, they may do so here as well. Spinners may come into play with cracks opening up, but the slope could help them," says Deep Dasgupta in his Lord's pitch report. If the Indian team wants to watch one video before they step onto the field, then that should be the following. Gavaskar, on his 76th birthday, takes a blinder while playing with Irfan Pathan's son. May your reflexes stays the way it is. Which is super superb superb. Happy birthday sir #sunilgavaskar — Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) July 10, 2025 Pitch Update: The grass on the pitch, which was still intact in the evening, now appears to have been completely shaved off. This sudden change could have a significant impact on playing conditions and the toss decision. Indian batting great Sunil Gavaskar is celebrating his 76th birthday with a cake-cutting ceremony in the Sony Sports studio, joined by his fellow commentators, Michael Vaughan and Harsha Bhogle. The Dukes ball has come under fire this series, with players from both teams frustrated by its poor durability. It's gone soft and out of shape too soon, making life tough for bowlers. While seamers have struggled to build pressure, batters have cashed in—especially on flat tracks under warm English skies. Rishabh Pant was even fined in Leeds for showing dissent when a ball change was denied. Both England and India's team bus have reached the iconic Lord's stadium, and we are heading into the final few moments ahead of the 3rd Test. India Predicted XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj The first glimpse of the Lord's pitch - yeah, it's green. We had already heard India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak talk about the Lord's pitch having a green tinge, but the first glimpse of the track says it all - its definetly more than a "tinge". This only means that the toss might play a key role in deciding the fate of the match - and so all pressure is on Shubman Gill's luck. India set for Lord's Test- and they have a big boost. Jasprit Bumrah is all geared up to return to the India mix, which will bolster the side's pace attack. But with the pace ace's return comes another dilemma - who opens the bowling for India with the new ball? Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan believes that it is Akash Deep who should start the bowling for India in the Lord's Test. England have announced their playing XI for the Lord's Test against India, and the big surprise? Jofra Archer is back in Test whites after 4 long years. He replaces Josh Tongue, and that is the only change in the England mix. England Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes(c), Jamie Smith(w), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir The pitch at the iconic Lord's features a green-top surface that could offer some uneven bounce. The last Test played here—the World Test Championship Final—highlighted just that. The inconsistent bounce troubled both batters and slip fielders, with edges often dying short. As a result, fielders were forced to stand closer, only to be caught off guard by sharp, low catches, several of which went down. India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak reflected on his own reading of the Lord's pitch, but emphasised how his side would not be too fazed about any sort of track. "I think, as you said, the pitch does seem to have a bit more grass on it — as we've seen in the last two matches. But tomorrow, when they do the final cut — the one that happens a day before the match — only after that can we really say. And generally, the normal Lord's pitch in Tests tends to have comparatively low scores in the first and second innings. So we can expect that there might be a bit more help for the bowlers. It could be challenging for the batsmen. But I believe it's all about the mindset," Kotak said at the pre-match press conference. Another Test match, and a familiar concern amongst fans - Will rain again make matters critical for both sides? According to the BBC and AccuWeather, both cricket fans are in for uninterrupted Test match action. The forecast predicts no rainfall across the five days of the Lord's Test, which means that the scenery will not be similar to Leeds or Birmingham. It is supposed to be mostly sunny, with slight on and off winds. Temperatures range from 30-31 degrees Celsius. All set for the 3rd Test, and with the heavens closed off, a thriller might be on the cards. Jasprit Bumrah looks set to return to action, having completed an extensive net session ahead of the Lord's Test. The pace spearhead bowled for around 45 minutes before shifting his focus to batting practice, facing left-arm spin and throwdowns. Captain Shubman Gill had confirmed at Edgbaston that Bumrah would return after sitting out the second Test due to workload management. During the team's first training session before the third Test, Bumrah appeared in high spirits, frequently interacting with teammates and occasionally engaging with the travelling Indian media. Bumrah's return likely means that Prasidh Krishna will make way in the playing XI. While Bumrah gradually built up to bowling at full intensity, it was left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh who put in the longest shift, running in hard for nearly an hour. Jofra Archer is set to play his first Test match in over four years after being recalled to the England side for the third Test against India at Lord's, starting Thursday. The 30-year-old fast bowler replaces Josh Tongue in the only change to the England XI, as the hosts look to bounce back with the series finely poised at 1-1. Despite looking fatigued during the heavy defeat at Edgbaston, Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse keep their places in the side. England have opted for Archer's extra pace and experience, hoping his return can inject fresh energy into the attack. It's all to play for as India and England prepare to face off in the third Test at Lord's, with the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy locked at 1-1. Both sides are looking to seize the advantage in what's shaping up to be a tightly contested five-match series. England took the opener with a confident five-wicket win, chasing down over 370 runs on home soil. Few expected India to bounce back at Edgbaston, especially with Jasprit Bumrah rested due to workload management. But Shubman Gill stepped up in a big way, leading from the front with a superb 430-run effort across both innings-a performance that rightly earned him Player of the Match honours. With the series finely balanced, the Lord's Test promises high stakes and plenty of drama.
Business Standard
2 hours ago
- Business Standard
England vs India LIVE SCORE UPDATES, 3rd Test Day 1: Toss at 3 PM IST; Bumrah's return awaits
The legendary Lord's Cricket Ground in London is set to stage the third Test between England and India, with Day 1 kicking off today. With the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy finely poised at 1-1, both sides come into the clash with plenty at stake and strong momentum. India will take heart from their recent success against England, having won four of the last five Test meetings, including a memorable 151-run triumph at Lord's in 2021. The pitch at Lord's is expected to be a classic green-top, offering plenty of seam and bounce early on, with overcast skies likely to assist swing bowlers. Batting could prove difficult in the opening session, placing a premium on technique and temperament. All eyes will be on Shubman Gill, who enters the Test in sublime form following a double century and a hundred in the previous match. Jasprit Bumrah returns fresh and is expected to lead India's pace attack, while Ravindra Jadeja's all-round ability could prove crucial as conditions evolve through the game. For England, it is Jofra Archer who will return for to the fray after a long injury spell. England vs India probable playing 11 IND vs ENG 3rd Test LIVE TOSS TIME: The coin toss between England captain Ben Stokes and Indian captain Shubman Gill will take place at 3 PM IST. India vs England 3rd Test Day 1: Live Telecast Fans can watch the live streaming of Day 1 of the IND vs ENG 3rd Test on JioHotstar from 3:30 PM IST today. Stay tuned for India vs England 3rd Test Day 1 live score and match updates here 2:40 PM 3rd Test Day 1 | ENG vs IND LIVE SCORE UPDATES: Players warming up There hasn't been much visible activity from the Indian team, with only a few players in sight. While Harry Brook and Ollie Pope have gone for a net session behind the ground, Jasprit Bumrah has now emerged and is marking his run-up, which was expected. Meanwhile, Karun Nair has been quietly going through some shadow practice at both ends. 2:38 PM 3rd Test Day 1 | ENG vs IND LIVE SCORE UPDATES: India's predicted playing 11 India Playing 11 (Probables): Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj 2:37 PM 3rd Test Day 1 | ENG vs IND LIVE SCORE UPDATES: England playing 11 for third Test
