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Rarely for an England player gets labeled as complaining down under, but when Joe Root faced questions about the necessity for pink-ball cricket in a series like the Ashes, he gave an honest response.

“I personally don’t think so,” Root replied before England's net session at the Gabba. “It’s obviously very successful and popular here in Australia, and the hosts boast a strong record in these matches. It's understandable why we’re playing.

“In the end, you know well in advance that it’s scheduled. It's a requirement of preparing for such contests. In a contest of this magnitude, does it need it? Probably not … yet it doesn't imply it shouldn’t be included. I'm fine with it. In my opinion it’s as good as the conventional format. But it's on the calendar. We have to participate, and must ensure to be better our opponents at it.”

Root's Performance Under Lights Suffers

Like his counterpart, Australia's Steve Smith, Root’s typically strong stats see a drop with the pink ball. The Yorkshire batsman has featured in each of the seven of England’s pink-ball matches to date, and although a century in his first outing versus the Windies back in 2017, his career average above 50 drops to 38.5 under lights.

Conversely, bowler Mitchell Starc averages 28.97 with a strike-rate around 50 overall, but those numbers shift to 17 and 33 correspondingly in day-night Tests. During his most recent floodlit game, against West Indies, he claimed six for nine as the opposition were dismissed for 27—his best performance that he bettered with seven for 58 in Perth.

Deciding Duel Between Root and Starc May Determine Outcome

The matchup between Root and Starc is shaping up to be a potential key contests in this series. Although Cummins and Hazlewood usually troubled him more, in their absence last week, the veteran Starc who got him out for scores of zero and eight.

Root has reflected that the first dismissal was just a good ball—the kind that may not reach the slips in England. The second, when he chopped on, amid the team's slump, was a miscalculation by him. “I know I’m a good player,” he stated. “I believe I will score runs again.”

The Touring Side's Challenges and Preparations

Starc now uses the wobble-seam as his preferred weapon nowadays—he admitted he should have listened to Hazlewood and Cummins advice sooner—and in muggy conditions, swing could come into play. England, down one match, have more to overcome this week, and runs from their premier batter would help them recover from their own mistakes.

This may not require a hundred should there be rapid shootout unfolds, yet Root's absence of a ton in Australia continues to haunt him. “I didn’t have long enough to dwell on it,” he modestly answered 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 England’s preparations, conducted in evening conditions.

Mark Wood’s absence due to a knee issue has created an opening in the lineup, and Will Jacks netting with the main batters suggests he might be the frontrunner. The all-rounder’s off-spin are adequate, and additional scoring at number eight might offset any conceded runs.

That said, Josh Tongue has been with the Lions elsewhere and remains an option if England opt for pace-heavy bowling, and spinner Bashir was in the squad last week. Plenty to consider, then, at a venue where England have not won a match in over 40 years.

“It's an opportunity to make history,” Root said regarding this. “It would be all the sweeter if we win at this ground.”