India vs New Zealand 2016: India's possible playing XI

Middle order

Rohit Sharma’s place looks uncertain but Rahane is a mainstay of the Indian team

Skipper Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, along with wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha have sealed their place in India’s middle order. The rest of the middle order depends on the team combination. If the team management decides to go in with 7 batsmen and 4 bowlers, then both Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara will find themselves a place in the playing XI.

If the combination is 6 batsmen and 5 bowlers, then it will be either Cheteshwar Pujara or Rohit Sharma who will make it to the playing XI. Rohit Sharma is one of the best batsmen in the world when it comes to the limited-overs format, but in the longer version of the game, the same cannot be said of the Mumbaikar.

He was been very inconsistent in the test arena but the selectors have backed him, citing the fact that he hardly got chances in the longer run and it will be a blunder to drop a batsman like Rohit without giving him a proper chance. In the West Indies, skipper Kohli preferred Sharma in the XI ahead of Pujara, but it is unlikely that the team management will do the same in the series against New Zealand.

Cheteshwar Pujara has been in a stunning form in the Duleep Trophy. After scoring 166 and 31 in the last round-robin match, he made it big in the finals and scored an unbeaten 256 and helped his team put on 693-6 in their first innings.

Taking current form into perspective, Pujara will get the nod ahead of Rohit Sharma to bat at No. 3 followed by skipper Virat Kohli and Ajinkya at no.4 and 5.