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It's not often for an England player is accused of complaining down under, but when the former captain faced questions about the necessity for pink-ball cricket in a series like the Ashes, he offered an honest answer.

“From my perspective, it's not necessary,” Root replied prior to England's net session in Brisbane. “Clearly very successful and popular here in Australia, and the hosts have an impressive record in these matches. It's understandable why one match is scheduled.

“In the end, you know from two years out that it’s scheduled. It’s part of being ready for such contests. For a series like this, does it need it? I don’t think so … but that doesn’t mean it has no place. I'm fine with it. I don’t think it matches traditional Test cricket. But it's on the calendar. We’ve got to play it, and must ensure we outperform than Australia in these conditions.”

Root's Record in Day-Night Tests Suffers

Like his counterpart, Australia's Steve Smith, Root's usually stellar numbers take a hit with the pink ball. The Yorkshire batsman has featured in all seven England's floodlit Tests so far, and despite a hundred in his first outing against West Indies in 2017, his overall average of 50.9 drops to 38.5 in these games.

On the other hand, bowler Mitchell Starc holds an average near 29 and a strike rate around 50 in general, yet these figures shift to 17 and 33 correspondingly with the pink ball. In his last pink-ball appearance, in Jamaica, he took six wickets for nine runs as West Indies were bowled out for a meager 27—his best performance that were soon surpassed by taking seven wickets for 58 in Perth.

Key Battle Root vs Starc Could Shape Series

The head-to-head of Root and Starc is shaping up to be one of the key contests in this series. While Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood usually troubled him more, with them missing in the first Test, it was Starc who dismissed him for scores of a duck and eight.

Root later reasoned the initial wicket was just a good ball—the kind that might not carry to slip back home. His next dismissal, bowled chopping on, amid the team's slump, was a miscalculation on his part. “I know I’m a good player,” he stated. “I know I’m going to score runs again.”

England's Hurdles and Readiness

Starc has adopted the wobble seam as his main tactic nowadays—he noted he wished he'd heeded to Hazlewood and Cummins suggestions earlier—and in humid Brisbane, swing could come into play. England, down one match, face additional obstacles in this Test, and runs from their top batsman would help them recover from their own mistakes.

It might not need a hundred should there be rapid shootout occurs, yet Root's absence of a ton on Australian soil continues to haunt him. “I didn’t have long enough to dwell on it,” he modestly answered on being questioned if the stat bothered him in Perth.

Team Selection and Chance for History

The England squad trained intensely on Sunday, with hip-hop providing the backdrop on a hot afternoon. The key sessions are crucial for England’s preparations, held under lights.

Mark Wood’s absence due to a knee issue opens up a spot in the team, and Will Jacks practicing among the batsmen suggests he might be the frontrunner. His off-spin are decent, and extra runs at number eight could balance any bowling leaks.

However, Josh Tongue has been with the Lions in Canberra and remains an option if England opt for pace-heavy bowling, while off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was included previously. Plenty to consider, then, at a ground where the visitors have not won a match for decades.

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