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It's not often for an England player gets labeled as whinging in Australia, yet when Joe Root was questioned regarding the need of day-night Tests during the Ashes, he offered an honest answer.

“From my perspective, it's not necessary,” Root stated prior to England's practice at the Gabba. “Clearly highly popular and well-received here in Australia, and Australia have an impressive record in these matches. You can understand why we’re playing.

“Ultimately, you know well in advance it will happen. It's a requirement of being ready for such contests. For a series like this, does it need it? Probably not … but that doesn’t mean it has no place. I'm fine with it. I don’t think it matches the conventional format. But it’s in the schedule. We have to participate, and we just need we outperform our opponents in these conditions.”

Joe Root's Record Under Lights Takes a Dip

Similar to his opposite number, Steve Smith, Root’s typically strong numbers see a drop in day-night games. The England star has featured in all seven England's pink-ball matches so far, and despite a century in his debut such match against West Indies back in 2017, his overall average of 50.9 drops to 38.5 in these games.

Conversely, bowler Mitchell Starc holds an average near 29 with a strike-rate of 49.9 overall, yet these figures improve to 17 and 33 respectively in day-night Tests. During his most recent pink-ball appearance, in Jamaica, he took six wickets for nine runs as West Indies were dismissed for 27—career-best figures that he bettered with seven wickets for 58 in Perth.

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 usually caused him issues, in their absence in the first Test, the veteran Starc who got him out for scores of zero and eight.

Root later reasoned that the first dismissal came from a fine delivery—the type that may not reach the slips in England. His next dismissal, when he chopped on, amid the team's slump, was an error by him. “I am confident in my ability,” he stated. “I know I’m going to return to form.”

The Touring Side's Hurdles and Preparations

Starc now uses the wobble-seam as his preferred weapon nowadays—he admitted he wished he'd heeded his teammates' advice sooner—and in muggy conditions, swing could be available. England, down one match, have more to overcome in this Test, and contributions by their premier batter would help them recover from a self-inflicted hole.

It might not need a hundred should there be rapid shootout unfolds, but Root’s lack of a ton in Australia remains a talking point. “I didn’t have long enough to dwell on it,” he modestly answered on being questioned whether that record weighed on him during the first Test.

Team Selection and Historic Opportunity

Root and his teammates trained intensely over the weekend, with hip-hop setting the tone in the heat. Monday and Wednesday are vital for England’s preparations, held under lights.

Mark Wood’s absence due to a knee issue opens up a spot in the team, with Jacks practicing among the batsmen hints he could be the frontrunner. The all-rounder’s off-breaks are decent, and extra runs at number eight could balance any bowling leaks.

However, Josh Tongue was with the reserves in Canberra and is still in the mix if England opt for an all-pace attack, and spinner Bashir was in the squad last week. Plenty to consider, then, at a venue where the visitors haven’t won a Test in over 40 years.

“It's an opportunity to create history,” Root said on this fact. “It would be all the sweeter if we win at this ground.”