🔗 Share this article

It's not often that an English cricketer is accused of whinging down under, but when Joe Root faced questions about the necessity of day-night Tests in a series like the Ashes, he offered an honest response.

“From my perspective, it's not necessary,” Root replied before England's practice at the Gabba. “Clearly highly popular and popular here in Australia, and the hosts have an impressive track record with the pink ball. You can understand why one match is scheduled.

“In the end, you know well in advance it will happen. It's a requirement of preparing for such contests. For a series like this, does it need it? Probably not … yet it doesn't imply it has no place. I'm fine with it. I don’t think it’s as good as the conventional format. But it’s in the schedule. We have to participate, and must ensure to be better than Australia at it.”

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 back in 2017, his career average above 50 falls to 38.5 in these games.

Conversely, bowler Mitchell Starc holds an average near 29 with a strike-rate of 49.9 overall, but those numbers improve to 17.08 and 33.3 respectively in day-night Tests. In his last pink-ball appearance, in Jamaica, he took six for nine as the opposition were dismissed for a meager 27—career-best figures that he bettered with seven for 58 in Perth.

Key Battle Root vs Starc Could Shape Series

The head-to-head between Root and Starc is emerging as one of the deciding factors in the Ashes. While Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood have traditionally troubled him more, in their absence in the first Test, it was Starc who got him out for scores of a duck and eight.

Root later reasoned the initial wicket was just a good ball—the type that may not reach the slips in England. The second, bowled chopping on, amid second-day collapse, was an error on his part. “I am confident in my ability,” he stated. “I believe I will return to form.”

The Touring Side's Hurdles and Readiness

Starc has adopted the wobble seam as his preferred weapon nowadays—he admitted he should have listened his teammates' advice sooner—and in humid Brisbane, swing may also be available. England, down one match, have more to overcome in this Test, and contributions by their top batsman would help in recovering 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 continues to haunt him. “I didn’t have long enough to think about it,” was his humble reply on being questioned whether that record bothered him during the first Test.

Squad Decisions and Historic Opportunity

The England squad trained intensely over the weekend, with hip-hop providing the backdrop in the heat. The key sessions are vital for their readiness, held under lights.

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

However, Josh Tongue was with the reserves in Canberra and remains an option should England choose pace-heavy bowling, while off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was included previously. Plenty to consider, then, at a ground where England haven’t won a Test for decades.

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