Ahead of the India–South Africa Test at Eden Gardens on November 14, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) unveiled a gold toss coin featuring the images of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. The design highlights the values of the two leaders, including peace, freedom, and compassion. CAB President Sourav Ganguly mentioned that the coin was created exclusively for the Freedom Trophy series and will be used during the toss ceremony.

The upcoming series will see red-ball cricket returning to Eden Gardens after a six-year wait, sparking massive excitement among fans. CAB Treasurer Sanjay Das revealed that nearly all tickets for the first three days have been sold.

The clash will be played under strict security measures following the recent explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort. Kolkata Police has stepped up measures to protect players and fans.

Ahead of the first Test, the Jagmohan Dalmiya Memorial Lecture will take place at CAB on November 13. Sunil Gavaskar is set to present the keynote address, with members from both teams present to honour Dalmiya’s legacy of turning India into a cricketing superpower.

India’s players landed in the city. “They haven’t made any request so far, so I can’t comment on that,” Ganguly said when asked if India had asked for a turning pitch.