India take on South Africa in their final Group B game of 2017 Champions Trophy, which is also a must-win game for both the sides as only the winner makes the semi-final of the quadrennial tournament.
Both teams have pocketed two points each after playing two games. However, India are the group leaders as they have a better Net Run Rate (+1.272) than South Africa (+1.000).
India, the defending champions, are heading into the game on the back of a shock seven-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka on Thursday. On the other hand, South Africa lost to Pakistan in a rain-curtailed match at Birmingham on Wednesday.
The weather in Kennington Oval is better now and there is a good chance that we might get a full game today, unlike what has been happening at other venues in the ongoing tournament. While there is little to separate both teams on paper, the side, which manages to overcome the pressure of a must-win game is expected to seal the semi-final berth.
Kohli will be tempted to play R Ashwin, who was benched for the first two games, as the off-spinner might prove effective against the South African line-up, which has four left-hand batsmen, on what will be another flat deck at the Oval. The Indian skipper will also want to chase, given the team's successful record of gunning down targets in the recent past, and relieve his batsmen of setting a target.
Team News
India
Possible XI: Kohli (c), Rohit, Dhawan, Yuvraj, Dhoni (wk), Kedar, Hardik, Jadeja, Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar, Bumrah
South Africa
Possible XI: De Villiers (c), Amla, De Kock (wk), Du Plessis, Miller, Dumiiny, Morris, Parnell, Rabada, Morkel, Tahir
