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Rarely that an English cricketer is accused of whinging down under, but when Joe Root faced questions about the necessity for pink-ball cricket during the Ashes, he gave an honest response.

“I personally don’t think so,” Root stated prior to England's practice in Brisbane. “It’s obviously highly popular and well-received here in Australia, and the hosts have an impressive track record with the pink ball. It's understandable why one match is scheduled.

“Ultimately, you know from two years out it will happen. It's a requirement of preparing for the series. In a contest of this magnitude, does it need it? I don’t think so … but that doesn’t mean it has no place. I don’t mind it. In my opinion it’s as good as the conventional format. But it’s in the schedule. We’ve got to play it, and we just need to be better our opponents at it.”

Root's Record Under Lights Declines

Like his counterpart, Australia's Steve Smith, Root's usually stellar stats see a drop with the pink ball. The England star has played all seven England's floodlit Tests so far, and although a hundred in his debut outing against West Indies back in 2017, his overall average of 50.9 drops to just over 38 under lights.

Conversely, paceman Mitchell Starc averages 28.97 with a strike-rate around 50 overall, but those numbers improve to 17.08 and 33.3 correspondingly with the pink ball. During his most recent floodlit game, in Jamaica, he claimed six wickets for nine runs as West Indies were dismissed for a meager 27—career-best figures that were soon surpassed by taking seven for 58 in Perth.

Deciding Duel Root vs Starc Could Shape Series

The head-to-head of Root and Starc is emerging as one of the key contests in this series. While Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood usually troubled him more, with them missing last week, the veteran Starc who dismissed him for a duck and eight.

Root later reasoned the initial wicket was just a good ball—the type that might not carry the slips in England. His next dismissal, bowled chopping on, amid the team's slump, was an error on his part. “I know I’m a good player,” he said. “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 admitted he should have listened to Hazlewood and Cummins advice sooner—and in humid Brisbane, swing could come into play. England, trailing 1-0, face additional obstacles in this Test, and contributions by their premier batter would help in recovering from their own mistakes.

This may not require 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 dwell on it,” was his humble reply when asked whether that record bothered him during the first Test.

Team Selection and Historic Opportunity

Root and his teammates trained intensely on Sunday, to the sound of hip-hop providing the backdrop on a hot afternoon. Monday and Wednesday are vital for England’s preparations, conducted in evening conditions.

Wood being unavailable with a sore knee has created an opening in the team, and Will Jacks netting with the main batters suggests he might be in contention. The all-rounder’s off-breaks are decent, and additional scoring at number eight could balance any bowling leaks.

However, Josh Tongue has been with the Lions elsewhere and is still in the mix should England choose pace-heavy bowling, and spinner Bashir was included previously. Much to think about, then, at a ground where England have not won a match for decades.

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