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BULAWAYO: South African all-rounder Wiaan Mulder etched his name into the record books after becoming the highest individual scorer ever on Test captaincy debut.
The right-handed batter, who replaced injured Keshav Maharaj as skipper, came in at No. 03 with South Africa in a precarious position of 24-2.
Wiaan Mulder reached the milestone on the last ball of the 80th over, smashing Wellington Masakadza for a four over the backward square leg boundary.
Highest Individual Test Score on Captaincy Debut
Wiaan Mulder 240* vs Zimbabwe, Bulawayo 2025
Graham Dowling 239 vs India, Christchurch 1968
Shivnarine Chanderpaul 203* South Africa Georgetown 2005
Earlier, Wiaan Mulder reached his maiden double century on the fourth ball of the 74th over, smashing Wellington Masakadza for a four over midwicket.
With this feat, he became the first player from South Africa and the overall third to score a double century while playing his first match as captain. Previously, New Zealand’s Graham Dowling and West Indies’ Shivnarine Chanderpaul have achieved this feat.
Earlier, the 27-year-old also broke the record for the highest individual score on captaincy debut for the Rainbow Nation.
He took a single off the fifth ball of Blessing Muzarabani’s 43rd over to reach the three-figure milestone. With his century, he became the third South African player to score a century on his captaincy debut.
South African Captains With Century on Test Debut
Herbie Taylor vs England, 1913
Jackie McGlew vs England, 1955
Wiaan Mulder vs Zimbabwe, 2025
At the time of filing this story, the Proteas were in a dominant position of 425-4 with still 9 overs left in the day’s play of the second South Africa vs Zimbabwe Test.
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