Former India selector Kris Srikkanth has declared that there should be no questions about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's participation in the 2027 World Cup, since they have already won their seats.

Kohli and Rohit collaborated for 136 runs off 109 balls in India's 392nd international match, enabling the team to amass 349/8 in 50 overs.

This combination paid off as India won by 17 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Kohli scored 135 runs, and Rohit played an aggressive 57, breaking the record for most sixes in ODIs.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Srikkanth stated that India's World Cup ambitions would not be possible without the presence of the star combo.

"Kohli and Rohit are playing on another level. Without these two, the 2027 World Cup plans will not work out. You need Rohit at one end and Virat at another. There should be no questions asked," said Srikkanth on his YouTube channel.

Additionally, according to Srikkanth, the Ro-Ko pair took the Ranchi game from the Proteas. When the partnership ended, India had amassed 161 runs in 21.2 overs after Kohli and Rohit had scored 80 runs during the powerplay.

"See, in 2013, he said in an interview that since 2013, he and Rohit used to score heavily and take down opposition. If you look at it, if Rohit and Kohli bat for 20 overs, the opposition is gone. Today, that’s what happened. They were literally batted out. Yes, South Africa fought back well. But their partnership finished them off," said Srikkanth.

Srikkanth also commended Kohli and Rohit, who are 37 and 38, respectively, for working on their fitness despite only playing one format.

"It’s not just the runs. They have worked very hard (on fitness). Virat and Rohit are playing only one format. It’s not easy to maintain your mindset like this when only playing one format. As far as I am concerned, they have sealed their spots for the 2027 World Cup. No. 1 and No. 3 slots are all sealed. We can’t win without them," said Srikkanth.

Rohit and Kohli will return to action for India's second ODI against South Africa on Wednesday, December 3.