Cheteshwar Pujara picks current ODI World XI amid NZ vs IND 2026 series; leaves out Shreyas Iyer

Former Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara picked his current ODI World XI ahead of the New Zealand-India five-match series (via the ESPN Cricinfo YouTube channel). Team India dominated the lineup, with six of the 11 players coming from the Men in Blue.

Pujara’s top three included India’s top three in ODIs, Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Gill is the leading run-scorer in ODIs this year with 895 runs at an average of almost 112. Meanwhile, Rohit and Kohli are in the top 10 for most ODI runs in 2026, averaging 50.33 and 69, respectively.

Pujara went with England’s Joe Root at No.4, as the veteran right-hander is second in ODI runs this year with 680 at an average of 85. Another Indian, KL Rahul, came in at No.6, averaging almost 81 in 10 ODIs this year.

The former batter picked West Indies’ Shai Hope and South Africa’s Marco Jansen to round off his top seven. Hope averages an incredible 68.14 in 10 ODIs this year, while Jansen lends tremendous balance to the Proteas lineup.

Pujara surprisingly left India's T20I skipper Shreyas Iyer out of his 11 despite the right-hander's impressive ODI average of 45.50 at a strike rate of almost 98.

Cheteshwar Pujara includes two Indian bowlers in the final four of his ODI World XI

Cheteshwar Pujara picked two Indians, Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah, as two of his four bowlers to round off the ODI World XI. This is despite Kuldeep playing only half of India's 10 ODIs this year and Bumrah playing only two.

Yet, the duo has been instrumental in India's ODI dominance over the years, including helping them finish runners-up in the 2023 World Cup. Pujara rounded off his 11 with New Zealand and West Indies seamers, Matt Henry and Jayden Seales.

While Henry hasn't played an ODI this year, he remains New Zealand's go-to new-ball bowler. Meanwhile, Seales impressed in the recent ODI series in India on placid pitches, picking up four wickets in three games.

Cheteshwar Pujara's current ODI World XI

Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Shai Hope, KL Rahul, Marco Jansen, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Matt Henry, Jayden Seales

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