Zimbabwe vs South Africa: Wiaan Mulder creates history, also follows Virender Sehwag in elite club

Wiaan Mulder couldn't have had a better start to his captaincy career, even if this role has been as a stand-in leader in Temba Bavuma's absence. The 27-year-old all-rounder, slotting in at no.3, became South Africa's second triple centurion in Tests after Hashim Amla and also set a few other benchmarks as well. Most importantly, Mulder became the first player ever to register a triple ton on captaincy debut, highlighting the massive significance of his feat.

 

Studded with 38 fours and three sixes, Mulder got to his triple hundred off just 297 deliveries, making it the second fastest of all-time, only behind India's Virender Sehwag who got his second triple ton off just 278 deliveries, coincidentally against South Africa in 2008. At 27, Mulder is also the youngest captain ever to get to a triple ton and his efforts saw South Africa extend their opening day's dominance into two day against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo on a flat pitch.

 

Walking into bat at the tenth over, Mulder played dots off his first five deliveries before unleashing his first scoring shot for a boundary, courtesy a flick through mid-wicket. From that moment, there was no looking for the all-rounder as he found his timing and tempo in a perfect sync against Zimbabwe's unimaginative bowling attack. The home side were guilty of erring in their length to Mulder.

 

The South African stand-in captain was quick to pounce on anything remotely full or short. The half-volleys were either driven straight back past the bowler or worked away through mid-wicket or square leg for boundaries. Zimbabwe's bowlers then tried to overcompensate but the length wasn't short enough to trouble Mulder who does play bouncers well anyway. He ruthlessly dispatched the loose balls to the fence.

 

While he was largely in control for most of his innings, there was one major moment of fortune when Mulder was clean bowled by a searing Tanaka Chivanga yorker, only for the bowler to overstep, thereby giving the South Africa stand-in captain a reprieve. There were a few other moments where the edges didn't quite carry to the slips but on most of those occasions, Mulder was playing with soft hands to nullify the edge.

 

As he progressed through his innings, the stand-in captain's intent at the crease went through the gears and after his double ton, Mulder was batting with a limited-overs mindset. Understandably, there was no plan for a triple hundred at that point but soon it was clear that the landmark was inevitable for the all-rounder. The triple century mark was reached in the 100th over when Mulder worked a low full toss through square leg.

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