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Rarely that an English cricketer gets labeled as complaining down under, yet when the former captain faced questions regarding the need of day-night Tests during the Ashes, he offered a straightforward answer.

“I personally don’t think so,” Root responded prior to England's net session in Brisbane. “It’s obviously very successful and popular in this country, and Australia boast a strong record in these matches. It's understandable why we’re playing.

“Ultimately, you know from two years out that it’s scheduled. It’s part of being ready for the series. 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 matches the conventional format. But it’s in the schedule. We have to participate, and we just need to be better than Australia in these conditions.”

Joe Root's Performance in Day-Night Tests Takes a Dip

Similar to his opposite number, Australia's Steve Smith, Root’s typically strong stats see a drop in day-night games. The Yorkshire batsman has featured in all seven of England’s floodlit Tests so far, and despite a century in his debut such match against West Indies back in 2017, his overall average above 50 drops to 38.5 in these games.

On the other hand, bowler Mitchell Starc holds an average near 29 with a strike-rate of 49.9 overall, but those numbers shift to 17.08 and 33.3 correspondingly in day-night Tests. In his last floodlit game, against West Indies, he took six wickets for nine runs as the opposition were dismissed for 27—career-best figures that were soon surpassed with seven wickets for 58 in Perth.

Key Battle Between Root and Starc May Determine Outcome

The head-to-head between Root and Starc is shaping up to be one of the deciding factors in this series. Although Cummins and Hazlewood have traditionally troubled him more, in their absence last week, the veteran Starc who dismissed him for a duck and eight.

Root later reasoned that the first dismissal came from a fine delivery—the type that may not reach to slip in England. The second, bowled chopping on, during England’s second-day collapse, was a miscalculation on his part. “I am confident in my ability,” he said. “I believe I will score runs again.”

The Touring Side's Hurdles and Readiness

Starc now uses the wobble seam as his preferred weapon nowadays—he admitted he wished he'd heeded his teammates' suggestions earlier—and in humid Brisbane, swing could be available. England, down one match, face additional obstacles this week, and contributions by their top batsman would help them recover from their own mistakes.

It might not need a century should there be rapid shootout occurs, but Root’s lack of a ton 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.

Team Selection and Historic Opportunity

The England squad practiced hard on Sunday, to the sound of 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 with a sore knee opens up a spot in the lineup, with Jacks practicing among the batsmen hints he could be in contention. The all-rounder’s off-breaks are adequate, and extra runs at number eight could balance any bowling leaks.

That said, seamer Tongue has been with the Lions in Canberra and is still in the mix if England opt for pace-heavy bowling, and spinner Bashir was in the squad last week. Much to think about, indeed, at a venue where the visitors have not won a match in over 40 years.

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