CHENNAI/ AUCKLAND — Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara has predicted Virat Kohli has a better chance of scoring centuries than Rohit Sharma in the upcoming five-match ODI series against New Zealand, citing Kohli's number three batting position as a key advantage.
Pujara, speaking on JioStar's Out or Not Out, explained that Kohli's role at number three allows him to play an anchor role and build innings, making century-scoring easier in ODI format. In contrast, Rohit Sharma's typical responsibility of providing aggressive starts in the powerplay could change on New Zealand pitches.
"The way Rohit bats, he has a role of providing good starts in the powerplay. In New Zealand, maybe that role changes, so he could go for a century. But for Virat, the chances are slightly higher because he bats at number three. His game is more about playing the anchor role," Pujara said.
Pujara also forecast a 2-2 result across the five-match series, noting that India will field different combinations in the first three matches versus the last two, giving New Zealand a slight advantage. He anticipates one match may be washed out due to rain in New Zealand conditions.
"Two-all. In the first three matches, one team is playing, and then, in the last two matches, another Indian team is going to play. So, I think New Zealand have a slight advantage because you aren't playing the same team in all five matches," he added.
The series begins in Auckland on Wednesday. While Pujara remains confident about India's prospects in the opening leg, he expects a tougher challenge in the concluding fixtures.
Kohli, who holds the world record for the most centuries in ODIs with 55 from 317 games, has scored five hundreds in 22 ODIs since January 2025. Rohit Sharma has four centuries from 283 ODIs during the same period.
The five-match ODI series between India and New Zealand will be closely watched as both sides look to gain momentum ahead of major tournaments.
