# Freedom Trophy (cricket)

The Freedom Trophy (also known as Gandhi–Mandela trophy) is a cricket trophy that is awarded to the winner of Test series, known as The Freedom Series, 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.

## 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.
| 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.
   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
   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.

## 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 | Total | 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 |||||

## 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 | |
| M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore | 2015–16 | 2015–16 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur | 2015–16 | 2015–16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | 2015–16 | 2015–16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA–VDCA Cricket Stadium, Vishakhapatnam | 2019–20 | 2019–20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune | 2019–20 | 2019–20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi | 2019–20 | 2019–20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 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 | |
| Centurion Park, Centurion | 2017–18 | 2023–24 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | |
| New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg | 2017–18 | 2021–22 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |