Champions Trophy: India face Proteas challenge in do-or-die clash

While the defeat against Sri Lanka has brought some added pressure on the Men in Blue as the game against AB de Villiers-led side has become a do-or-die encounter, if rain spoils the proceedings and the match does not take place, meaning both the teams have to share a point then India will definitely enter the final four due to their better NRR.

"Malinga has looked a tad off-colour in the first two games, but remember he is a champion performer who has won many games for his country", the former explosive opener said. "Then if you perform in that and your team gets across the line, it's a different feeling".

Even so, all these strategies would be inculcated in the team in the long run - if at all.

There has been a lot of debate over why India's most successful bowler in recent times, Ravichandran Ashwin, could not make it to the playing XI in the first two games - vs Pakistan and Sri Lanka - of ICC Champions Trophy.

Apart from winning the inaugural edition of the then ICC Knockout Trophy in 1998, South Africa don't boast of spectacular numbers in knockout matches. We win some and lose some. "Maybe we will have to push harder now in the next few games to give us a 20-run cushion after seeing a result like this, because we're playing on the same ground as well", the skipper had said. It is a must-win game for both teams, who are looking to reach the semifinals of the competition. As a cricketer, I crave for these matches and want to be part of it. Pakistan suffered a 124-run thrashing by India but it bounced back to beat top-ranked South Africa by 19 runs. Unfortunately, Bangladesh cricket had just begun its journey and we saw a string of mismatches. In this tournament, there is no guarantee of win.

"I'm pretty honest and straightforward".

Mondays match is the only Group B fixture taking place in Cardiff.

Set 322 to win, Sri Lanka knocked off the runs with eight balls to spare thanks to contributions from Kusal Mendis (89), Danushka Gunathilaka (76) and Mathews (52).

As per a report in DNA, sources close to selectors revealed that Kohli threw in names of right-arm leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem as possible replacements for Ashwin.

India played with four pace bowlers and one spinner in last two games, where they sacrificed Ashwin for Jadeja.

Kohli also backed Yuvraj Singh to fire on Sunday in what would be the Punjab southpaw's 299th appearance in One-Day Internationals (ODI). "It's good that we can choose from quality players", Kohli said on the eve of the match.

"It is a magnificent achievement. Tomorrow's match will be important, so hopefully it will add an extra motivation in him to leave a mark on the cricketing field at his 300th game". Earlier, this feat was achieved by Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid. "He stands out as one of the beacons; him Babar Azam, Imad Wasim - we have some good young players coming through and we have to keep them believing".