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It's not often for an England player is accused of whinging down under, yet when Joe Root was questioned about the necessity for pink-ball cricket during the Ashes, he gave a straightforward response.

“From my perspective, it's not necessary,” Root stated before England's practice at the Gabba. “Clearly highly popular and popular here in Australia, and Australia have an impressive track record with the pink ball. You can understand why we’re playing.

“In the end, you know well in advance it will happen. It's a requirement of preparing for the series. In a contest of this magnitude, is it essential? Probably not … but that doesn’t mean it has no place. I'm fine with it. In my opinion it’s as good as traditional Test cricket. But it's on the calendar. We’ve got to play it, and must ensure to be better our opponents at it.”

Root's Record Under Lights Declines

Like his counterpart, Steve Smith, Root's usually stellar stats take a hit with the pink ball. The Yorkshire batsman has played each of the seven England's floodlit Tests so far, and although a century in his first outing against West Indies in 2017, his overall average of 50.9 drops to just over 38 in these games.

On the other hand, paceman Mitchell Starc averages 28.97 and a strike rate of 49.9 overall, but those numbers shift to 17.08 and 33.3 correspondingly in day-night Tests. During his most recent pink-ball appearance, in Jamaica, he claimed six wickets for nine runs as the opposition were dismissed for 27—his best performance that he bettered with seven wickets for 58 in Perth.

Deciding Duel Between Root and Starc May Determine Outcome

The matchup 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, with them missing in the first Test, the veteran Starc who dismissed him for zero and eight.

Root has reflected the initial wicket came from a fine delivery—the type that may not reach to slip in England. His next dismissal, bowled chopping on, amid second-day collapse, was a miscalculation by him. “I know I’m a good player,” he stated. “I know I’m going to return to form.”

The Touring Side's Challenges and Preparations

Starc has adopted the wobble seam as his main tactic nowadays—he admitted he should have listened to Hazlewood and Cummins advice sooner—and in humid Brisbane, swing could come into play. England, down one match, face additional obstacles in this Test, and contributions by their premier batter could aid 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 ton on Australian soil continues to haunt him. “I didn't get time to dwell on it,” was his humble reply on being questioned if the stat bothered him in Perth.

Team Selection and Chance for History

Root and his teammates practiced hard on Sunday, to the sound of hip-hop providing the backdrop on a hot afternoon. Monday and Wednesday are crucial for England’s preparations, held under lights.

Mark Wood’s absence with a sore knee has created an opening in the lineup, and Will Jacks practicing among the batsmen suggests he might be the frontrunner. The all-rounder’s off-breaks are adequate, and additional scoring at number eight might offset any bowling leaks.

However, seamer Tongue has been with the Lions elsewhere and remains an option should England choose pace-heavy bowling, and spinner Bashir was in the squad last week. Much to think about, then, at a ground where the visitors haven’t won a match in over 40 years.

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