Cheteshwar Pujara backs Virat Kohli to score more centuries than Rohit Sharma against New Zealand

Cheteshwar Pujara believes Virat Kohli has a better chance than Rohit Sharma of scoring centuries in the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand. He predicts a 2-2 result, citing India's split squads as a possible advantage for New Zealand.

New Delhi: Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara believes Virat Kohli has a better chance than Rohit Sharma of scoring more centuries in the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand.

Pujara feels Kohli’s role at number three gives him a greater opportunity to build an innings and play the anchor, while Rohit’s usual responsibility of making an aggressive start in the powerplay could undergo a change on New Zealand pitches.

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“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. So, for a batsman coming in at number three, scoring a century in the ODI format becomes a bit easier.

“The opener’s role is also defined, but in New Zealand conditions, that changes a bit. So, I feel Virat has more chances of scoring a hundred in New Zealand than Rohit,” Pujara told JioStar.

Pujara also expects a closely fought contest between the two sides, predicting a 2-2 outcome across the five-match series. He believes New Zealand could have a slight edge because India are set to field different combinations across the first three and final two matches.

However, he remains confident about India’s prospects in the opening leg, while anticipating a tougher challenge in the concluding fixtures.

“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. I’m still backing the Indian team in the first three matches, as I feel they will do well.

“The last two matches could be a bit of a challenge, but it will be a hard-fought series. And it rains in New Zealand, so probably one match will be a washout,” he added.