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It's not often that an English cricketer gets labeled as complaining in Australia, yet when the former captain faced questions regarding the need of day-night Tests in a series like the Ashes, he offered an honest answer.

“My personal view is no,” Root stated prior to England's practice at the Gabba. “Clearly very successful and popular in this country, and Australia boast a strong track record in these matches. You can understand why one match is scheduled.

“Ultimately, we are aware well in advance that it’s scheduled. It's a requirement of preparing 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 the conventional format. But it’s in the schedule. We have to participate, and we just need to be better than Australia at it.”

Joe Root's Performance in Day-Night Tests Suffers

Similar to his opposite number, 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 despite a century in his debut such match versus the Windies in 2017, his overall average above 50 drops to 38.5 in these games.

Conversely, paceman Mitchell Starc holds an average near 29 with a strike-rate around 50 overall, yet these figures improve to 17.08 and 33.3 correspondingly in day-night Tests. During his most recent pink-ball appearance, in Jamaica, he claimed six for nine as the opposition were dismissed for a meager 27—career-best figures that were soon surpassed by taking seven wickets for 58 in Perth.

Key Battle Between Root and Starc Could Shape Series

The head-to-head of Root and Starc is emerging as one of the deciding factors in this series. While Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood usually caused him issues, with them missing in the first Test, the veteran Starc who got him out for scores of a duck and eight.

Root later reasoned that the first dismissal came from a fine delivery—the type that might not carry to slip back home. His next dismissal, bowled chopping on, during England’s the team's slump, was an error by him. “I know I’m a good player,” he stated. “I know I’m going to return to form.”

England's Challenges and Preparations

Starc now uses the wobble-seam as his main tactic these days—he admitted he wished he'd heeded to Hazlewood and Cummins advice sooner—and in muggy conditions, swing could be available. England, trailing 1-0, have more to overcome in this Test, and contributions by their premier batter would help in recovering from a self-inflicted hole.

It might not need a century should there be rapid shootout occurs, but Root’s lack of a ton in Australia continues to haunt him. “I didn’t have long enough to dwell on it,” he modestly answered when asked whether that record bothered him during the first Test.

Team Selection and Chance for History

The England squad practiced hard over the weekend, to the sound of hip-hop providing the backdrop in the heat. Monday and Wednesday are crucial for England’s preparations, held under lights.

Wood being unavailable with a sore knee has created an opening in the lineup, with Jacks practicing among the batsmen suggests he might be in contention. The all-rounder’s off-spin are decent, and extra runs at number eight could balance any bowling leaks.

However, Josh Tongue was with the reserves in Canberra and remains an option should England choose pace-heavy bowling, while off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was included last week. Plenty to consider, indeed, at a venue where the visitors have not won a match for decades.

“It is a chance to create history,” Root commented on this fact. “It would make it all the sweeter if we win at this ground.”