Former Indian opener K Srikkanth feels Rohit Sharma's ability to accelerate in an "instant" is a major asset for the team and his good form will ease the pressure on Virat Kohli during the ongoing World Cup. Rohit scored an unbeaten 144-ball 122 to anchor a successful chase against South Africa in India's World Cup opener here on Wednesday.

"He (Rohit) did not need to ramp it up against South Africa, who had not scored enough runs in Southampton, but that knock will do him a lot of good," Srikkanth wrote in a column for the ICC. "He can go from first gear to fourth gear in an instant and just kick on from there and keep clicking through the gears. "For India, having someone who can go and get not just hundreds but even double hundreds is a major asset and also relieves the pressure on Virat Kohli a little," he explained. Srikkanth said the top order will play a pivotal role in India's World Cup campaign. "The trio of Shikhar Dhawan, Sharma and Kohli will be crucial to India's chances so it is a great sign that Sharma got a hundred and saw them over the line," he wrote.