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Rarely that an English cricketer is accused of whinging down under, but when the former captain faced questions regarding the need of day-night Tests during the Ashes, he gave an honest response.

“From my perspective, it's not necessary,” Root responded before England's practice in Brisbane. “Clearly very successful and popular here in Australia, and the hosts boast a strong track record in these matches. You can understand why one match is scheduled.

“In the end, we are aware well in advance it will happen. It's a requirement of preparing for the series. In a contest of this magnitude, does it need it? Probably not … yet it doesn't imply it has no place. I don’t mind it. In my opinion it matches traditional Test cricket. But it’s in the schedule. We have to participate, and must ensure we outperform than Australia at it.”

Joe Root's Performance in Day-Night Tests Suffers

Similar to his opposite number, Australia's Steve Smith, Root's usually stellar stats see a drop in day-night games. The England star has featured in all seven England's pink-ball matches to date, and although a century in his debut outing versus the Windies back in 2017, his career average of 50.9 drops to 38.5 in these games.

Conversely, paceman Mitchell Starc averages 28.97 with a strike-rate around 50 overall, but those numbers shift to 17 and 33 correspondingly with the pink ball. In his last floodlit game, against West Indies, he took six wickets for nine runs as the opposition were dismissed for 27—his best performance that were soon surpassed by taking seven for 58 in the next Test.

Key Battle Root vs Starc May Determine Outcome

The head-to-head between Root and Starc is emerging as a potential key contests in the Ashes. While Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood have traditionally caused him issues, in their absence in the first Test, it was Starc who dismissed him for a duck and eight.

Root has reflected that the first dismissal was just a good ball—the type that might not carry to slip in England. The second, bowled chopping on, amid the team's slump, was an error on his part. “I am confident in my ability,” he stated. “I believe I will score runs again.”

England's Hurdles and Preparations

Starc now uses the wobble seam as his preferred weapon these days—he admitted 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 could aid in recovering from their own mistakes.

It might not need a century should there be rapid shootout occurs, yet Root's absence of a ton on Australian soil remains a talking point. “I didn’t have long enough to dwell on it,” was his humble reply on being questioned if the stat weighed on him during the first Test.

Team Selection and Chance for History

The England squad practiced hard on Sunday, to the sound of hip-hop setting the tone in the heat. Monday and Wednesday are crucial for England’s preparations, conducted in evening conditions.

Mark Wood’s absence due to a knee issue opens up a spot in the team, with Jacks netting with the main batters hints he could be the frontrunner. The all-rounder’s off-breaks are decent, and extra runs at number eight might offset any bowling leaks.

That said, Josh Tongue was with the reserves in Canberra and remains an option should England choose pace-heavy bowling, and spinner Bashir was included previously. Plenty to consider, then, at a venue where the visitors haven’t won a Test for decades.

“It's an opportunity to make history,” Root said on this fact. “It would be all the sweeter if we win here.”