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Rarely for an England player gets labeled as complaining down under, yet when the former captain faced questions regarding the need for pink-ball cricket in a series like the Ashes, he offered a straightforward answer.

“My personal view is no,” Root stated prior to England's practice at the Gabba. “It’s obviously very successful and well-received in this country, and the hosts have an impressive record with the pink ball. You can understand why one match is scheduled.

“Ultimately, you know well in advance that it’s scheduled. It’s part of being ready for such contests. For a series like this, is it essential? Probably not … yet it doesn't imply it has no place. I don’t mind it. In my opinion it’s as good as the conventional format. But it's on the calendar. We’ve got to play it, and we just need we outperform than Australia in these conditions.”

Root's Record Under Lights Suffers

Like his counterpart, Steve Smith, Root's usually stellar stats take a hit with the pink ball. The England star has featured in each of the seven of England’s floodlit Tests to date, and despite 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, bowler Mitchell Starc averages 28.97 with a strike-rate of 49.9 overall, but those numbers 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 for 58 in Perth.

Deciding Duel Between Root and Starc Could Shape Series

The matchup between Root and Starc is emerging as a potential deciding factors in this series. Although Cummins and Hazlewood usually troubled him more, in their absence last week, the veteran Starc who got him out for scores of a duck and eight.

Root later reasoned that the first dismissal came from a fine delivery—the kind that may not reach the slips back home. The second, bowled chopping on, during England’s the team's slump, was an error on his part. “I am confident in my ability,” he said. “I know I’m going to score runs again.”

The Touring Side's Hurdles and Readiness

Starc has adopted the wobble seam as his preferred weapon nowadays—he noted he wished he'd heeded to Hazlewood and Cummins advice sooner—and in humid Brisbane, swing could come into play. England, trailing 1-0, have more to overcome this week, and runs from their top batsman could aid them recover from their own mistakes.

It might not need a hundred if another quick-fire match unfolds, but Root’s lack of a ton in Australia continues to haunt him. “I didn't get time to dwell on it,” was his humble reply on being questioned if the stat weighed on him during the first Test.

Team Selection and Historic Opportunity

The England squad trained intensely over the weekend, with hip-hop providing the backdrop on a hot afternoon. The key sessions are crucial for England’s preparations, conducted in evening conditions.

Wood being unavailable with a sore knee has created an opening in the lineup, and Will Jacks netting with the main batters hints he could be the frontrunner. His off-breaks are decent, and extra runs at number eight might offset any bowling leaks.

However, Josh Tongue was with the reserves in Canberra and is still in the mix should England choose pace-heavy bowling, while off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was in the squad last week. Much to think about, indeed, at a venue where the visitors haven’t won a Test for decades.

“It's an opportunity to make history,” Root commented regarding this. “It would make it all the sweeter if we succeed at this ground.”