India vs South Africa in Tests: Three decades of grit, glory, and birth of the freedom Trophy

India vs South Africa history in Tests [Source: @CricCrazyJohns, @arpitalokmishra/x]

When India and South Africa collide in whites, the contest rarely lacks intensity. From the fiery duels between Allan Donald and Sachin Tendulkar to Virat Kohli demonstrating his modern-day ferocity in the rainbow nation against Kagiso Rabada and co., this rivalry has often remained underrated in the grand narrative of Test cricket, yet it continues to produce some nerve-wracking encounters marked by grit and sheer competitiveness.

Unlike some of the more celebrated rivalries in the modern-day game, the India–South Africa battle in Tests is not merely dictated by home advantage, as both teams have proven capable of landing decisive blows both home and away, keeping the rivalry refreshingly unpredictable across continents.

As both sides brace themselves to script a new chapter in their three-decade-long folklore, here’s a look at the entire Test history between India and South Africa, along with the rise and the track record of the much-celebrated Freedom Trophy.

Tracing first 20 years of India vs South Africa in Tests

India and South Africa first crossed paths in Tests back in November 1992 in Durban, shortly after South Africa’s return to international cricket following their prolonged exile from the sport due to apartheid. Hosts South Africa sneaked in a nine-wicket win at Gqeberha to seal that four-match series 1-0.

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Over the next decade and a half, both India and South Africa took turns touring each other in a balanced exchange of home and away series, maintaining a steady rhythm of competition, until South Africa made back-to-back visits to India in a short span in 2008 and 2010. 

In turn, India travelled to the rainbow nation in 2010 and 2013, thereby completing a full 20-year cycle of riveting bilateral exchanges between the two sides.

Here is a look at a detailed head-to-head record in India vs South Africa Tests in their first 20 years from 1992 to 2013.

Birth of Freedom Trophy

In 2015, i.e., shortly before South Africa’s four-match tour of India, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced that all future bilateral Test affairs between the two nations will be called the Mahatma Gandhi-Nelson Mandela series, in honour of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela.

Then BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur and CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat jointly unveiled the new eponymous series as the "Freedom Trophy", thereby declaring a lasting tribute to the shared legacies of the two freedom fighters.

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India hosted the first edition of this newly-branded trophy in late 2015, and clinched it with a 3-0 margin following a remarkable South African resistance in Delhi. Over the next three editions from 2018 to 2022, the trophy changed hands with each series, as both India and South Africa traded victories on home soil.

The rivalry witnessed a notable change in the latest edition of the Freedom Trophy back in December 2023 and January 2024 in South Africa, with both teams winning a Test each to level a hard-fought series 1-1. South Africa, however, retained the coveted trophy and will enter the upcoming series in India as title holders.

In lieu of the upcoming series, here is a summary of all Freedom Trophy matches played out between India and South Africa so far.

Freedom Trophy and beyond: Charting 3 decades of India vs South Africa

The India vs South Africa Test rivalry has only grown richer with each passing series, blending fierce competition with moments of brilliance and resilience. From the early '90s classic battles to the modern-day Freedom Trophy thrillers, both sides have had their share of triumphs and heartbreaks.

Here, we take a look at their complete head-to-head record in Tests, thus mapping their three-decade-old rivalry on a single table. That said, this rivalry is not defined merely by wins and losses, but by memorable battles and resilience that still echo in fans' memories.

India and South Africa will resume their Test rivalry with the sixth edition of the Freedom Trophy, starting from November 14 onwards at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

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