The series will be particularly important for the 35-year-old left-handed batsman who failed to make an impact as an opener in the T20Is where he managed to get only one opportunity before being benched. 

Captain Kohli and Rohit opened the innings for India in a T20I for the first time on Saturday and their 94-run stand played a key role in India's win over England by 36 runs.

India replaced the out-of-form KL Rahul with bowler T Natarajan in the fifth and final T20I against England in Ahmedabad.

On Saturday, the seniors, Kohli and Rohit, worked in tandem to help India post an intimidating 224 -- India's highest score against England in the shortest format.

With his knock of 64 runs off just 34 balls, laced with four boundaries and five sixes, Rohit surpassed New Zealand's Martin Guptill to become the second-highest run-getter in T20Is after Virat Kohli.

Rohit, who faced Adil Rashid in the first over, started off with a six, becoming the first Indian to do so in the shortest format of the game.

Rohit, who was rested from the first two games, had a rather dull return as he managed to score just 15 runs from 17 balls in the third T20I in Ahmedabad.

Earlier, Kohli had mentioned that Rohit would rest for a 'couple of games' as India are trying out their bench strength ahead of the T20 World Cup.

When asked about the playing XI for the opener, Kohli revealed that Rahul will open alongside Shikhar Dhawan as Rohit will be resting for the first few games. 

Sharma will be playing his first T20 International after over a year and did not tour Australia for the T20s due to injury. India won that series 2-1.

Hardik Pandya, who underwent his back surgery in October 2019, made a comeback with the IPL last year but did not bowl.

Rohit could empathise a lot with Pant as he too has seen the flip side of being rated as a talent which comes with its own share of ruthless scrutiny.

Rohit Sharma fell one short of his half-century during the second day of the final Test against England.

Earlier on the opening day, the Indian bowling unit, led by the spin duo of Axar Patel and R Ashwin, bundled England out for 205 on the Motera wicket.

The difference in Rohit's home and away average of 54.05 is the most by a batsman ever (min. 20 innings) but since opening the innings for India, the figure reads 24.23 which only shows that he has been growing into the role.

Indian opener Rohit Sharma moved to 8th position in the ICC Test Rankings. Three Indians are now in the top-10 among batsmen.

The senior opener scored India's only half-century of the game with the home side spinners accounting for 19 wickets. 

Guptill hammered 97 off just 50 deliveries as New Zealand posted an intimidating total of 219 runs on the scoreboard.

Rohit became the ninth Indian batsman to complete the milestone of 6000 runs in international cricket on home soil

The Chepauk pitch came under the scanner for the vicious turn it offered from day one, with the likes of Michael Vaughan and Mark Waugh criticising the groundsmen for producing what they referred to as a "minefield".