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Rarely for an England player gets labeled as whinging down under, yet when Joe Root was questioned about the necessity of day-night Tests in a series like the Ashes, he offered an honest response.

“From my perspective, it's not necessary,” Root responded before England's net session at the Gabba. “Clearly very successful and well-received here in Australia, and Australia have an impressive track record with the pink ball. You can understand why we’re playing.

“In the end, we are aware from two years out it will happen. It’s part of being ready for such contests. For a series like this, is it essential? I don’t think so … 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 must ensure we outperform our opponents at it.”

Root's Performance Under Lights Suffers

Similar to his opposite number, Steve Smith, Root's usually stellar numbers take a hit with the pink ball. The Yorkshire batsman has featured in all seven of England’s floodlit Tests to date, and although a hundred in his debut outing against West Indies back in 2017, his overall average of 50.9 falls to just over 38 in these games.

Conversely, bowler Mitchell Starc holds an average near 29 and a strike rate around 50 in general, but those numbers shift to 17.08 and 33.3 respectively in day-night Tests. During his most recent floodlit game, in Jamaica, he claimed six wickets for nine runs as the opposition were dismissed for 27—career-best figures that were soon surpassed by taking seven wickets 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 one of the deciding factors in the Ashes. While Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood usually troubled him more, in their absence last week, the veteran Starc who got him out for zero and eight.

Root later reasoned the initial wicket came from a fine delivery—the type that might not carry to slip back home. The second, bowled chopping on, amid the team's slump, was a miscalculation 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 Preparations

Starc now uses the wobble seam as his preferred weapon these days—he noted he wished he'd heeded his teammates' suggestions earlier—and in humid Brisbane, swing may also come into play. England, trailing 1-0, face additional obstacles in this Test, and contributions by their top batsman could aid them recover from a self-inflicted hole.

This may not require a century should there be rapid shootout unfolds, yet Root's absence of a century in Australia continues to haunt him. “I didn’t have long enough to think about it,” was his humble reply on being questioned if the stat weighed on him in Perth.

Team Selection and Chance for History

The England squad practiced hard over the weekend, to the sound of hip-hop providing the backdrop on a hot afternoon. Monday and Wednesday are crucial for England’s preparations, held under lights.

Mark Wood’s absence with a sore knee opens up a spot in the team, and Will Jacks practicing among the batsmen hints he could be the frontrunner. His off-breaks are decent, and extra runs at number eight might offset any bowling leaks.

However, Josh Tongue has been with the Lions elsewhere and is still in the mix if England opt for an all-pace attack, and spinner Bashir was included previously. Plenty to consider, indeed, at a ground where England have not won a match in over 40 years.

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