BCCI unsuccessful in hunt for ‘iconic’ Gandhi-Mandela series trophy
The Mahatma Gandhi-Nelson Mandela series is in its business end, but there is still curiosity over the trophy that will be given away to the winners.
The Mahatma Gandhi-Nelson Mandela series is in its business end, but there is still curiosity over the trophy that will be given away to the winners.

The BCCI is yet to reveal how the trophy will look, and the standard practice of the two captains unveiling it before the start of the series didn’t happen. The broadcaster, Star, too has nothing to show for a contest which held the promise of being a fiercely-fought one.
The BCCI and Cricket South Africa (CSA) wanted to make the trophy one-of-a-kind by using historical material bearing a link to Gandhi and Mandela. But the Indian board failed to obtain iron rods from the Yerwada jail in Pune where Gandhi was imprisoned. The jail authorities did not respond to the BCCI’s request.
“It’s becoming difficult to obtain the material, particularly the rods we had requested. We didn’t get an encouraging response and for that matter any other belonging of Gandhiji that we were on the lookout for,” said a BCCI official.
However, CSA is confident it will get the barbed wire from the Robben Island jail where Mandela served his prison term. Although CSA is bullish, the BCCI isn’t convinced that the stuff will reach in time for the trophy to be ready.
“We want to make this trophy iconic and the endeavour is to get something special of these two iconic figures to give the trophy its fitting stature. This trophy will be of a rolling nature,” said Haroon Lorgat, CEO, CSA.
In the absence of Gandhi or Mandela’s belongings coming through its way, the BCCI, it is learnt, has settled for a gold-plated special trophy to mark the iconic series.