Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have once again proved why they are the backbone of the Indian cricket team. In his 392nd international match, he stitched a powerful partnership of 136 runs in just 109 balls, helping India post a mammoth total of 349 runs in 50 overs against South Africa in Ranchi.
Their combined effort proved decisive as India won the first ODI by 17 runs and took a 1-0 lead in the ongoing three-match ODI series against South Africa in Ranchi on Sunday, November 30. Kohli played a brilliant inning of 135 runs, while Rohit played a fast and aggressive inning of 57 runs.
Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma partnership destroys South Africa in Ranchi thriller
The pair scored 80 runs in the powerplay alone and by the time their partnership was broken, India had reached 161 runs in just 21.2 overs, putting the game largely out of South Africa’s reach.
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Even though the South African team fought hard late on, the partnership between Kohli and Rohit had already ensured that the total would be enough for the hosts to defend in Ranchi.
After the Ranchi ODI, former Indian selector Chris Srikkanth stressed the importance of Kohli and Rohit’s partnership for India’s future. Srikkanth said that their Ranchi partnership once again showed why India cannot plan for the ICC World Cup 2027 without Kohli and Rohit.
Chris Srikkanth says India’s ICC World Cup 2027 dream hinges on Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma magic
The former World Cup winner pointed out that India needs to handle Rohit at one end and Kohli at the other and then their experience, skills and fitness make them invaluable to the team.
“Kohli and Rohit are playing at another level. Without these two, the plan for the 2027 World Cup will not work. You need Rohit at one end and Virat at the other. No questions asked,” Kris Srikkanth said in a video on his YouTube channel.
He further praised the pair, saying, “See, in 2013, he had said in an interview that since 2013, Rohit and he used to score huge and defeat the opponents. If you see, if Rohit and Kohli bat for 20 overs, the opponent gets bowled out. Today, that’s what happened. They literally batted out. Yes, South Africa fought well. But their partnership finished them off.”
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Chris Srikkanth declares Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma “irreplaceable” for India’s ICC World Cup 2027 dream
Srikkanth also praised how Kohli and Rohit have maintained their fitness and mindset despite playing only one format now after retiring from Test and T20I cricket. The former Indian cricketer believes that India cannot win the ICC World Cup 2027 without Kohli and Rohit as they continue to make that kind of impact whenever they bat together.
He said this by saying, “It is not just about runs. They have worked very hard (on fitness). Virat and Rohit are playing only one format. It is not easy to maintain your mindset like this while playing only one format. As far as I am concerned, they have sealed their places for the 2027 World Cup. The No. 1 and No. 3 spots are all sealed. We cannot win without them.”
They will be seen in action in the second ODI against South Africa in Raipur on Wednesday, December 3, followed by the third and final ODI in Visakhapatnam on December 6.
