Gandhi–Mandela Trophy

The Gandhi–Mandela Trophy, also known as The Freedom Trophy, is a cricket trophy that is awarded to the winner of Test series, known as The Freedom Series,^[3] between India and South Africa. First awarded in 2015, the trophy is dedicated to famous Indian and South African freedom fighters Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela respectively.

Gandhi–Mandela Trophy

Countries	India  South Africa
Administrator	BCCI and CSA
Format	Test cricket
First edition	2015–16 (India)
Latest edition	2023–24 (South Africa)
Next edition	2025 (India)
Tournament format	Test Series
Number of teams	2
Current trophy holder	South Africa
Most successful	South Africa (2 series wins & 1 retention)
Qualification	ICC World Test Championship
Most runs	Virat Kohli (1136 runs)[1]
Most wickets	Ravichandran Ashwin (57 wickets)[2]

Background Test Series

Prior to the trophy's inception, India and South Africa had played eleven series, six in South Africa and five in India. The overall record was six South African victories, two Indian victories, and three drawn series.^[4][5]

Years	Host	Tests	India	South Africa	Drawn	Result
1992–93	South Africa	4	0	1	3	South Africa
1996–97	India	3	2	1	0	India
1996–97	South Africa	3	0	2	1	South Africa
1999–2000	India	2	0	2	0	South Africa
2001–02	South Africa	2	0	1	1	South Africa
2004–05	India	2	1	0	1	India
2006–07	South Africa	3	1	2	0	South Africa
2007–08	India	3	1	1	1	Drawn
2009–10	India	2	1	1	0	Drawn
2010–11	South Africa	3	1	1	1	Drawn
2013–14	South Africa	2	0	1	1	South Africa
Total	29	7	13	9

In 2015 BCCI and CSA announced that all future bilateral tours of India and South Africa to be named as Mahatma Gandhi–Nelson Mandela Bilateral series. The series is played in Test cricket format. The series is named after leaders of both countries to pay tribute to them for playing a major role in winning independence by nonviolence. This has also helped in gaining an "iconic and traditional status" to the series.^[6]

The Test Series has been christened as the 'Freedom Trophy'. Freedom for which Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela sacrificed their lives and thereby allowed a nation to be born free from years of bondage and suppression. BCCI, on behalf of every citizen of our country, is able to pay tribute to these great leaders by naming the series after them, and appeals to each and every citizen of our country to imbibe their ideals and follow the path advised by them

— BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur

For the people of both our countries there is no greater duty than to uphold the ideals of both Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. As cricket-loving people we must fight hard to win on the field of play but never forget to do battle in the spirit of these two great men.

— CSA chief executive, Haroon Lorgat

Editions

Series	Years	Host	Tests	India	South Africa	Drawn	Result	Holder	Player of the series
1	2015–16	India	4	3	0	1	India	India	Ravichandran Ashwin
2	2017–18	South Africa	3	1	2	0	South Africa	South Africa	Vernon Philander
3	2019–20	India	3	3	0	0	India	India	Rohit Sharma
4	2021–22	South Africa	3	1	2	0	South Africa	South Africa	Keegan Petersen
5	2023–24	South Africa	2	1	1	0	Drawn	South Africa	Jasprit Bumrah Dean Elgar
6	2025–26	India	2
Total			15	9	5	1

Total Series	India	South Africa	Drawn
5	2	2	1

Summary of results

	Played	Won by India	Won by South Africa	Drawn
Tests in India	7	6 (85.7%)	0 (0%)	1 (14.3%)
Tests in South Africa	8	3 (37.5%)	5 (62.5%)	0 (0%)
All Tests	15	9 (60%)	5 (33.3%)	1 (6.7%)
Series in India	2	2 (100%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)
Series in South Africa	3	0 (0%)	2 (66.7%)	1 (33.3%)
All series	5	2 (40%)	2 (40%)	1 (20%)
As of 4 January 2023[7]

Match venues

In India
Stadium	First Test	Last Test	Played		India wins		Draws*		South Africa wins	Ref
Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali	2015–16	2015–16	1		1		0		0	[8]
M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore	2015–16	2015–16	1		0		1		0	[9]
Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur	2015–16	2015–16	1		1		0		0	[10]
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi	2015–16	2015–16	1		1		0		0	[11]
Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA–VDCA Cricket Stadium, Vishakhapatnam	2019–20	2019–20	1		1		0		0	[12]
Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune	2019–20	2019–20	1		1		0		0	[13]
JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi	2019–20	2019–20	1		1		0		0	[14]
In South Africa
Stadium	First Test	Last Test	Played		South Africa wins		Draws*		India wins	Ref
Newlands, Cape Town	2017–18	2023–24	3		2		0		1	[15]
Centurion Park, Centurion	2017–18	2023–24	3		2		0		1	[16]
New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg	2017–18	2021–22	2		1		0		1	[17]

See also

• Anthony de Mello Trophy
• Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy
• Border–Gavaskar Trophy
• Basil D'Oliveira Trophy