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It's not often that an English cricketer gets labeled as whinging in Australia, yet when Joe Root faced questions regarding the need of day-night Tests during the Ashes, he offered an honest answer.

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

“Ultimately, you know well in advance that it’s scheduled. It's a requirement of preparing for such contests. For a series like this, is it essential? I don’t think so … yet it doesn't imply it has no place. I'm fine with it. I don’t think it’s as good as traditional Test cricket. But it's on the calendar. We’ve got to play it, and must ensure we outperform our opponents at it.”

Root's Performance Under Lights Declines

Similar to his opposite number, Steve Smith, Root’s typically strong stats see a drop with the pink ball. The England star has played each of the seven England's floodlit Tests to date, and despite a hundred in his first outing against West Indies in 2017, his career average above 50 falls to 38.5 in these games.

On the other hand, paceman Mitchell Starc holds an average near 29 and a strike rate around 50 overall, but those numbers shift to 17 and 33 respectively with the pink ball. During his most recent pink-ball appearance, against West Indies, he claimed six wickets for nine runs as the opposition were bowled out for 27—his best performance that were soon surpassed by taking seven wickets for 58 in Perth.

Key Battle Root vs Starc Could Shape Series

The matchup of Root and Starc is shaping up to be a potential key contests in the Ashes. While Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood have traditionally caused him issues, with them missing in the first Test, it was Starc who dismissed him for scores of a duck and eight.

Root has reflected that the first dismissal came from a fine delivery—the kind that might not carry to slip in England. His next dismissal, when he chopped on, amid the team's slump, was a miscalculation on his part. “I know I’m a good player,” he said. “I believe I will return to form.”

The Touring Side's Hurdles and Readiness

Starc now uses the wobble-seam as his main tactic nowadays—he admitted he wished he'd heeded to Hazlewood and Cummins suggestions earlier—and in humid Brisbane, swing could be available. England, trailing 1-0, have more to overcome in this Test, and contributions by their premier batter could aid in recovering from their own mistakes.

It might not need a hundred should there be quick-fire match unfolds, but Root’s lack of a century in Australia remains a talking point. “I didn’t have long enough to think about it,” was his humble reply when asked if the stat bothered him in Perth.

Squad Decisions and Historic Opportunity

Root and his teammates trained intensely over the weekend, to the sound of hip-hop setting the tone on a hot afternoon. Monday and Wednesday are crucial for their readiness, conducted in evening conditions.

Wood being unavailable due to a knee issue has created an opening in the team, with Jacks practicing among the batsmen suggests he might be the frontrunner. The all-rounder’s off-breaks are adequate, and extra runs down the order might offset any bowling leaks.

However, Josh Tongue was with the reserves elsewhere and is still in the mix if England opt for pace-heavy bowling, while off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was included previously. Plenty to consider, then, at a ground where England haven’t won a match in over 40 years.

“It's an opportunity to create history,” Root commented on this fact. “It would make it all the sweeter if we succeed here.”