New Delhi, 02 November (H.S.): Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara believes Virat Kohli is slightly more likely than Rohit Sharma to score a century in the upcoming One-Day International (ODI) series against New Zealand, citing the differences in their batting roles and the challenges posed by conditions in the country.

Meanwhile, former India cricketer Abhishek Nayar has expressed concern over India's decision to field two different ODI combinations during the five-match series and the omission of young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal from the squad.

Both former cricketers shared their views on JioHotstar's programme 'Out or Not Out'.

Speaking on the show, Pujara explained that Rohit's primary responsibility is to provide the team with an aggressive start during the powerplay. However, conditions in New Zealand could require him to modify his approach and spend more time at the crease. Kohli, on the other hand, bats at number three and is entrusted with anchoring the innings, which Pujara believes gives him a slightly greater opportunity to convert his starts into a century.

Virat's game is built around anchoring the innings. For a batter coming in at number three, scoring a century in the ODI format becomes slightly easier. The role of an opening batter is also well-defined, but that could change to some extent in New Zealand conditions. Therefore, I feel Virat has a better chance of scoring a century against New Zealand than Rohit, Pujara said.

Abhishek Nayar, meanwhile, underlined the importance of the forthcoming Test series against New Zealand, describing it as a significant assignment for the Indian team and head coach Gautam Gambhir.

He recalled New Zealand's previous Test series victory in India, saying the result had disappointed Indian cricket fans. Against that backdrop, he stressed that the Indian team would need to produce a much-improved performance in the upcoming contest.

New Zealand came to India and defeated us in the Test series. That result hurt me, and I am sure it disappointed other fans as well. This is a major series. The World Cup is important, but there is still time for that. For me, this Test series is crucial from the perspective of Gautam Gambhir and Indian cricket supporters, Nayar said.

He also questioned the scheduling and preparation arrangements for players expected to feature in both formats, particularly KL Rahul and Shubman Gill. Nayar felt that these players should have been given an extended period to concentrate exclusively on Test cricket rather than having to switch between preparations for the ODI and Test assignments.

I wanted players such as KL Rahul and Shubman Gill, who are playing both formats, to focus exclusively on Test cricket. They now have to prepare for the first ODI before turning their attention to the Test matches. In my view, they should have been given one or two months to practise with the red ball. After the way New Zealand defeated us in India, we should go there and beat them on their own soil, he added.

Commenting on Yashasvi Jaiswal's omission from India's ODI squad, Nayar suggested that the selectors may already have discussed the decision with the young batter.

He felt that the presence of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill as the preferred opening combination could have influenced the selection decision, leaving Jaiswal out of the ODI setup.

Nayar recommended that Jaiswal use the opportunity to feature in the Ranji Trophy and prepare for the longer format ahead of the Test series against New Zealand.

According to him, the team management may have explained that playing domestic red-ball cricket during his absence from the ODI squad would help him sharpen his preparation and put him in a better position to contribute to India's efforts in the upcoming Test series.

Offering his assessment of the five-match ODI series, Pujara predicted that India and New Zealand could finish level at 2-2. He pointed to India's decision to field different combinations in the first three and final two matches, suggesting that the arrangement could give the hosts a slight advantage.

I think New Zealand have a slight advantage because India will not field the same team in all five matches. Nevertheless, I will back India in the first three games, and I expect the team to perform well. The final two matches could prove more challenging, but the series should be closely contested. It also rains in New Zealand, so one of the matches could possibly be washed out, Pujara said.

India are scheduled to play the five-match ODI series against New Zealand from November 4 to 15, followed by a two-Test series beginning on November 19.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar