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. He made the case in New Delhi, and he didn’t hedge much on the reasoning.

The argument comes down to batting position. Kohli bats at number three, and Pujara says that spot gives him a greater opportunity to build an innings and play the anchor. Rohit, meanwhile, has a usual responsibility of providing good starts in the powerplay. That job is where the two players’ roles begin to split.

Why the batting spot changes the math

Pujara’s view is that a number-three batter has more time to settle, and that makes a hundred easier to reach in the 50-over format. An opener is expected to attack early, which limits how long he can stay in and build a big score. Kohli’s game, in Pujara’s description, is built around that anchoring role.

"So, I feel Virat has more chances of scoring a hundred in New Zealand than Rohit."

That line sums up the case. Pujara did not write Rohit off. He said Rohit could also go for a century, and his reasoning is that New Zealand conditions could change the job the opener is asked to do. In other words, the powerplay role that defines Rohit’s usual game may not hold in the same way on New Zealand pitches. That shift is the hinge of the whole prediction.

Pujara framed the comparison as a question of opportunity rather than talent. A batter who comes in at number three and stays in for longer has more chances to convert a start into a hundred. An opener who is told to attack from the first over may get out before he settles. The point is structural, and it’s the kind of detail that matters when a series is decided by a handful of big innings.

A 2-2 series, and a split-squad problem

Beyond the Kohli and Rohit comparison, Pujara expects a closely fought contest. He predicted a 2-2 outcome across the five-match series. The reason is that India are set to field different combinations across the first three matches and the final two. Each set of games features a different Indian team, and that creates an uneven contest.

Pujara believes that split gives New Zealand a slight edge. His logic is simple. New Zealand face the same opposition in every game, but India do not field the same side throughout. Teams that rotate combinations can face a learning curve, and the final two matches could present a tougher test for the second Indian unit, according to Pujara.

He still backs India in the opening leg. Pujara said he expects the first three matches to go well for the Indian team. He is less certain about the concluding fixtures, which he described as potentially more challenging. He expects the series to be hard fought from start to finish.

Weather could decide one match before a ball is bowled

Pujara also raised a factor that has nothing to do with form or selection. He noted that it rains in New Zealand, and he said one match will probably be washed out. For a five-match series with a predicted 2-2 finish, a single lost game could change how every result is read. A rain-affected fixture would take away a result that either side might need to tilt the balance.

That weather note matters because Pujara’s prediction depends on the shape of the series, not just the quality of the players. If one of the five games is lost to rain, the split-squad dynamic and the 2-2 forecast both become harder to measure. Fans tracking the series will need to watch the conditions as closely as the scorecards.

What this means for the series

The core takeaway from Pujara’s comments is that the series may turn on roles as much as runs. Kohli’s number-three position is presented as a route to more hundreds. Rohit’s powerplay responsibilities may shift on New Zealand pitches, which could open a different path for the opener. Both players have chances, but Pujara’s view is that Kohli’s chances are slightly higher because of where he bats.

The bigger picture is the split-squad structure. India’s first three matches and last two matches involve different Indian teams, and Pujara sees that as a reason New Zealand could edge the series. His own forecast is a 2-2 finish, with India strong early and a harder road later, and with rain likely to take one match out of the equation.

For now, the prediction is a former player’s assessment, not a settled outcome. But it gives cricket followers a clear set of questions to watch. Will Kohli get the innings he needs at three? Will Rohit’s start look different on New Zealand surfaces? Can the second Indian unit handle the final two matches? And will the weather let the series run its full course?