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Rarely that an English cricketer gets labeled as whinging in Australia, yet when the former captain faced questions about the necessity for pink-ball cricket in a series like the Ashes, he gave an honest response.

“My personal view is no,” Root stated prior to England's net session in Brisbane. “It’s obviously highly popular and well-received in this country, and Australia boast a strong record in these matches. It's understandable why one match is scheduled.

“In the end, you know from two years out it will happen. It’s part of preparing for such contests. For a series like this, is it essential? Probably not … but that doesn’t mean it has no place. I'm fine with it. I don’t think it’s as good as the conventional format. But it’s in the schedule. We’ve got to play it, and we just need to be better our opponents at it.”

Joe Root's Performance in Day-Night Tests Declines

Like his counterpart, Australia's Steve Smith, Root's usually stellar stats take a hit in day-night games. The Yorkshire batsman has played all seven England's pink-ball matches to date, and although a hundred in his debut such match against West Indies back in 2017, his career average of 50.9 drops to just over 38 in these games.

On the other hand, bowler Mitchell Starc holds an average near 29 and a strike rate around 50 in general, but those numbers improve to 17 and 33 respectively with the pink ball. During his most recent floodlit game, against West Indies, he took six wickets for nine runs as West Indies were bowled out for a meager 27—career-best figures that he bettered with seven for 58 in the next Test.

Deciding Duel Root vs Starc May Determine Outcome

The head-to-head of Root and Starc is shaping up to be a potential deciding factors in this series. Although Cummins and Hazlewood usually caused him issues, in their absence in the first Test, it was Starc who dismissed him for a duck and eight.

Root has reflected the initial wicket was just a good ball—the kind that may not reach the slips in England. His next dismissal, bowled chopping on, amid second-day collapse, was an error on his part. “I am confident in my ability,” he stated. “I know I’m going to score runs again.”

The Touring Side's Challenges and Readiness

Starc has adopted the wobble seam as his preferred weapon nowadays—he noted he should have listened his teammates' advice sooner—and in muggy conditions, swing may also come into play. England, down one match, have more to overcome this week, and runs from their premier batter would help them recover from a self-inflicted hole.

This may not require a hundred should there be rapid shootout occurs, yet Root's absence of a ton on Australian soil continues to haunt him. “I didn’t have long enough to dwell on it,” was his humble reply on being questioned whether that record weighed on him during the first Test.

Team Selection and Chance for History

Root and his teammates trained intensely over the weekend, with hip-hop providing the backdrop in the heat. Monday and Wednesday are crucial for their readiness, conducted in evening conditions.

Mark Wood’s absence with a sore knee opens up a spot in the lineup, with Jacks practicing among the batsmen hints he could be the frontrunner. The all-rounder’s off-breaks are decent, and additional scoring at number eight might offset any bowling leaks.

However, seamer Tongue has been with the Lions elsewhere and remains an option should England choose an all-pace attack, and spinner Bashir was in the squad last week. Plenty to consider, then, at a venue where the visitors haven’t won a match for decades.

“It is a chance to create history,” Root commented on this fact. “It would make it all the sweeter if we succeed at this ground.”