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Rarely for an England player is accused of whinging down under, yet when the former captain was questioned regarding the need for pink-ball cricket in a series like the Ashes, he offered an honest response.

“My personal view is no,” Root stated before England's practice at the Gabba. “Clearly highly popular and popular here in Australia, and the hosts boast a strong record in these matches. It's understandable why one match is scheduled.

“Ultimately, you know from two years out that it’s scheduled. It's a requirement of preparing for the series. In a contest of this magnitude, does it need it? Probably not … but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be included. I'm fine with it. I don’t think it’s as good as traditional Test cricket. But it's on the calendar. We have to participate, and must ensure we outperform our opponents at it.”

Root's Performance in Day-Night Tests Declines

Like his counterpart, Steve Smith, Root's usually stellar stats see a drop with the pink ball. The England star has featured in each of the seven of England’s pink-ball matches to date, and despite a hundred in his first such match against West Indies in 2017, his overall average above 50 falls to just over 38 under lights.

On the other hand, bowler Mitchell Starc holds an average near 29 and a strike rate around 50 overall, yet these figures shift to 17 and 33 respectively in day-night Tests. During his most recent floodlit game, against West Indies, he took six wickets for nine runs as West Indies were bowled out for a meager 27—career-best figures that were soon surpassed by taking seven wickets for 58 in the next Test.

Deciding Duel Root vs Starc May Determine Outcome

The head-to-head between Root and Starc is shaping up to be one of the key contests in this series. While Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood usually caused him issues, in their absence last week, it was Starc who got him out for a duck and eight.

Root has reflected that the first dismissal came from a fine delivery—the kind that may not reach the slips in England. His next dismissal, when he chopped on, amid second-day collapse, was a miscalculation by him. “I am confident in my ability,” he said. “I believe I will return to form.”

England's Challenges and Readiness

Starc has adopted the wobble seam as his main tactic nowadays—he admitted he should have listened to Hazlewood and Cummins advice sooner—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 their own mistakes.

It might not need a hundred 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 when asked whether that record bothered him during the first Test.

Squad Decisions and Chance for History

The England squad trained intensely on Sunday, to the sound of hip-hop setting the tone in the heat. The key sessions are crucial for England’s preparations, held under lights.

Wood being unavailable with a sore knee opens up a spot in the team, and Will Jacks netting with the main batters suggests he might be the frontrunner. The all-rounder’s off-breaks are decent, and additional scoring down the order could balance any bowling leaks.

That said, Josh Tongue has been with the Lions in Canberra and remains an option if England opt for pace-heavy bowling, while off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was in the squad previously. Much to think about, indeed, at a venue where England have not won a Test for decades.

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