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Rarely for an England player is accused of complaining in Australia, but when the former captain faced questions about the necessity of day-night Tests in a series like the Ashes, he offered a straightforward response.

“I personally don’t think so,” Root responded before England's practice in Brisbane. “Clearly highly popular and well-received in this country, and Australia boast a strong record with the pink ball. It's understandable why one match is scheduled.

“In the end, we are aware from two years out that it’s scheduled. It's a requirement of being ready for the series. For a series like this, is it essential? Probably not … but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be included. I'm fine with it. I don’t think it matches traditional Test cricket. But it's on the calendar. We’ve got to play it, and we just need to be better our opponents in these conditions.”

Joe Root's Performance Under Lights Suffers

Like his counterpart, Australia's Steve Smith, Root's usually stellar numbers see a drop with the pink ball. The Yorkshire batsman has played each of the seven England's floodlit Tests to date, and despite a hundred in his first outing against West Indies back in 2017, his overall average above 50 falls to 38.5 under lights.

Conversely, bowler Mitchell Starc holds an average near 29 with a strike-rate around 50 overall, yet these figures shift to 17 and 33 correspondingly with the pink ball. During his most recent floodlit game, against West Indies, he claimed six wickets for nine runs as the opposition were dismissed for a meager 27—his best performance that were soon surpassed by taking seven wickets for 58 in Perth.

Deciding Duel Between Root and Starc May Determine Outcome

The head-to-head between Root and Starc is shaping up to be a potential deciding factors in this series. Although Cummins and Hazlewood have traditionally troubled him more, in their absence in the first Test, the veteran Starc who got him out for zero and eight.

Root has reflected the initial wicket came from a fine delivery—the type that may not reach to slip back home. His next dismissal, when he chopped on, amid the team's slump, was an error by him. “I know I’m a good player,” he said. “I believe I will score runs again.”

England's Challenges and Readiness

Starc now uses the wobble seam as his main tactic these days—he noted he should have listened to Hazlewood and Cummins advice sooner—and in humid Brisbane, swing could come into play. England, down one match, have more to overcome in this Test, and runs from their premier batter 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 on Australian soil continues to haunt him. “I didn't get time to think about it,” was his humble reply on being questioned whether that record bothered him in Perth.

Team Selection and Chance for History

The England squad practiced hard over the weekend, with hip-hop providing the backdrop on a hot afternoon. Monday and Wednesday are crucial for England’s preparations, conducted in evening conditions.

Mark Wood’s absence with a sore knee opens up a spot in the team, with Jacks netting with the main batters suggests he might be the frontrunner. His off-breaks are decent, and additional scoring at number eight might offset any conceded runs.

That said, seamer Tongue was with the reserves in Canberra and is still in the mix if England opt for an all-pace attack, while off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was in the squad previously. Plenty to consider, indeed, at a venue where England have not won a Test for decades.

“It is a chance to create history,” Root said regarding this. “It would make it all the sweeter if we win at this ground.”