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It's not often that an English cricketer gets labeled as complaining in Australia, but when the former captain was questioned regarding the need for pink-ball cricket during the Ashes, he offered a straightforward answer.

“From my perspective, it's not necessary,” Root responded prior to England's practice in Brisbane. “It’s obviously very successful and well-received 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 well in advance that it’s scheduled. It's a requirement of preparing for such contests. In a contest of this magnitude, does it need it? I don’t think so … but that doesn’t mean it has no place. I don’t mind 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 to be better our opponents in these conditions.”

Root's Record in Day-Night Tests Suffers

Similar to his opposite number, Australia's Steve Smith, Root’s typically strong numbers take a hit with the pink ball. The England star has featured in each of the seven of England’s pink-ball matches so far, and despite a hundred in his debut outing versus the Windies in 2017, his overall average above 50 falls to 38.5 in these games.

On the other hand, bowler Mitchell Starc holds an average near 29 and a strike rate of 49.9 in general, but those numbers shift to 17.08 and 33.3 correspondingly with the pink ball. In his last pink-ball appearance, against West Indies, he took six wickets for nine runs as West Indies were bowled out for 27—his best performance that he bettered by taking seven wickets for 58 in the next Test.

Deciding Duel Root vs Starc May Determine Outcome

The matchup of Root and Starc is shaping up to be a potential key contests in this series. While Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood usually caused him issues, in their absence last week, it was Starc who dismissed him for zero and eight.

Root later reasoned the initial wicket was just a good ball—the kind that may not reach to slip back home. The second, bowled chopping on, during England’s second-day collapse, was a miscalculation on his part. “I know I’m a good player,” he said. “I know I’m going to score runs again.”

The Touring Side's Hurdles and Preparations

Starc has adopted the wobble seam as his preferred weapon these days—he admitted he wished he'd heeded his teammates' advice sooner—and in muggy conditions, swing may also come into play. England, trailing 1-0, face additional obstacles in this Test, and contributions by their premier batter would help them recover from a self-inflicted hole.

This may not require a century if another quick-fire match unfolds, yet Root's absence of a ton in Australia remains a talking point. “I didn’t have long enough to think about it,” was his humble reply when asked whether that record weighed on him during the first Test.

Squad Decisions 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 crucial for England’s preparations, conducted in evening conditions.

Mark Wood’s absence with a sore knee has created an opening in the lineup, with Jacks netting with the main batters suggests he might be the frontrunner. His off-spin are decent, and additional scoring down the order might offset any bowling leaks.

That said, Josh Tongue was with the reserves elsewhere and is still in the mix should England choose pace-heavy bowling, while off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was in the squad last week. Plenty to consider, indeed, at a ground where the visitors have not won a match in over 40 years.

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