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It's not often that an English cricketer gets labeled as whinging down under, yet when Joe Root was questioned regarding the need of day-night Tests in a series like the Ashes, he gave an honest response.

“My personal view is no,” Root replied before England's net session in Brisbane. “It’s obviously highly popular and well-received here in Australia, and the hosts boast a strong track record with the pink ball. It's understandable why one match is scheduled.

“In the end, we are aware well in advance that it’s scheduled. It's a requirement of being ready for the series. For a series like this, is it essential? Probably not … yet it doesn't imply it shouldn’t be included. I don’t mind it. I don’t think it matches traditional Test cricket. But it's on the calendar. We have to participate, and we just need to be better than Australia at it.”

Root's Record Under Lights Suffers

Similar to his opposite number, Australia's Steve Smith, Root’s typically strong stats take a hit in day-night games. The England star has played each of the seven England's floodlit Tests so far, and despite a hundred in his debut such match versus the Windies in 2017, his overall average above 50 drops to 38.5 in these games.

Conversely, bowler Mitchell Starc averages 28.97 with a strike-rate of 49.9 overall, yet these figures improve to 17.08 and 33.3 respectively with the pink ball. In his last pink-ball appearance, in Jamaica, he claimed six for nine as West Indies were bowled out for 27—his best performance that he bettered 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 this series. While Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood have traditionally caused him issues, with them missing last week, it was 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 might not carry the slips 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 stated. “I believe I will score runs again.”

The Touring Side's Hurdles and Readiness

Starc has adopted the wobble seam as his preferred weapon nowadays—he noted 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 this week, and contributions by their top batsman would help them recover from a self-inflicted hole.

It might not need a hundred should there be quick-fire match occurs, yet Root's absence of a century on Australian soil continues to haunt him. “I didn’t have long enough to think about it,” was his humble reply when asked whether that record weighed on him in Perth.

Team Selection and Chance for History

The England squad trained intensely on Sunday, with hip-hop setting the tone on a hot afternoon. The key sessions are crucial for England’s preparations, held under lights.

Mark Wood’s absence due to a knee issue has created an opening in the lineup, with Jacks practicing among the batsmen hints he could be the frontrunner. The all-rounder’s off-spin are decent, and additional scoring at number eight could balance any bowling leaks.

However, seamer Tongue was with the reserves in Canberra and remains an option if England opt for an all-pace attack, while off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was in the squad previously. Much to think about, indeed, at a venue where the visitors haven’t won a Test for decades.

“It's an opportunity to make history,” Root said on this fact. “It would make it even more satisfying if we win here.”