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It's not often that an English cricketer gets labeled as complaining down under, yet when Joe Root faced questions about the necessity of day-night Tests during the Ashes, he offered a straightforward answer.

“I personally don’t think so,” Root replied prior to England's net session in Brisbane. “Clearly highly popular and popular in this country, and Australia have an impressive track record with the pink ball. It's understandable why we’re playing.

“In the end, you know from two years out that it’s scheduled. It’s part of being ready for the series. For a series like this, is it essential? Probably not … but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be included. I'm fine with it. I don’t think it’s as good as traditional Test cricket. But it's on the calendar. We have to participate, and must ensure to be better our opponents in these conditions.”

Joe Root's Performance Under Lights Suffers

Like his counterpart, Steve Smith, Root’s typically strong numbers see a drop in day-night games. The Yorkshire batsman has featured in each of the seven England's floodlit Tests so far, and although a century in his first outing versus the Windies in 2017, his overall average above 50 falls to just over 38 in these games.

On the other hand, bowler Mitchell Starc averages 28.97 and a strike rate around 50 overall, but those numbers shift to 17.08 and 33.3 correspondingly with the pink ball. In his last floodlit game, in Jamaica, he claimed six wickets for nine runs as West Indies were bowled out for a meager 27—career-best figures that he bettered by taking seven for 58 in Perth.

Key Battle Root vs Starc May Determine Outcome

The head-to-head of Root and Starc is emerging as one of the key contests in this series. Although Cummins and Hazlewood usually troubled him more, with them missing last week, it was Starc who dismissed him for zero and eight.

Root has reflected the initial wicket was just a good ball—the type that might not carry the slips in England. The second, when he chopped on, during England’s the team's slump, was an error on his part. “I know I’m a good player,” he said. “I know I’m going to return to form.”

The Touring Side's Challenges and Preparations

Starc now uses the wobble seam as his preferred weapon these days—he admitted he should have listened his teammates' suggestions earlier—and in muggy conditions, swing may also be available. England, down one match, face additional obstacles in this Test, and runs from their premier batter would help them recover from a self-inflicted hole.

This may not require a century should there be quick-fire match occurs, yet Root's absence of a century in Australia continues to haunt him. “I didn't get time to dwell on it,” was his humble reply on being questioned whether that record weighed on him in Perth.

Team Selection and Chance for History

The England squad trained intensely over the weekend, to the sound of hip-hop providing the backdrop on a hot afternoon. Monday and Wednesday are vital for their readiness, conducted in evening conditions.

Mark Wood’s absence with a sore knee opens up a spot in the team, with Jacks netting with the main batters hints he could be the frontrunner. The all-rounder’s off-spin are adequate, and extra runs at number eight could balance any conceded runs.

That said, seamer Tongue has been with the Lions elsewhere and is still in the mix should England choose an all-pace attack, and spinner Bashir was included previously. Much to think about, then, at a venue where the visitors haven’t won a Test for decades.

“It is a chance to make history,” Root commented regarding this. “It would make it even more satisfying if we succeed at this ground.”