🔗 Share this article

It's not often for an England player is accused of complaining down under, yet when Joe Root was questioned regarding the need of day-night Tests during the Ashes, he offered a straightforward answer.

“My personal view is no,” Root responded prior to England's net session at the Gabba. “Clearly very successful and well-received in this country, and Australia boast a strong record with the pink ball. It's understandable why we’re playing.

“In the end, you know from two years out it will happen. It's a requirement of being ready for the series. For a series like this, is it essential? Probably not … but that doesn’t mean 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 we just need to be better our opponents in these conditions.”

Root's Performance in Day-Night Tests Suffers

Like his counterpart, Steve Smith, Root’s typically strong stats see a drop in day-night games. The Yorkshire batsman has played each of the seven of England’s floodlit Tests to date, and although a century in his first outing against West Indies back in 2017, his career average above 50 drops to 38.5 under lights.

Conversely, bowler Mitchell Starc averages 28.97 and a strike rate of 49.9 in general, yet these figures shift to 17.08 and 33.3 correspondingly in day-night Tests. During his most recent pink-ball appearance, against West Indies, he claimed six for nine as West Indies were bowled out for 27—his best performance that were soon surpassed by taking seven for 58 in the next Test.

Key Battle Root vs Starc Could Shape Series

The matchup of Root and Starc is emerging as a potential key contests in the Ashes. Although Cummins and Hazlewood usually caused him issues, with them missing last week, it was Starc who dismissed him 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 in England. The second, when he chopped 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 return to form.”

The Touring Side's Hurdles and Readiness

Starc has adopted the wobble seam as his preferred weapon nowadays—he admitted he wished he'd heeded to Hazlewood and Cummins suggestions earlier—and in humid Brisbane, swing may also be available. England, trailing 1-0, face additional obstacles this week, and runs from their top batsman could aid them recover from a self-inflicted hole.

It might not need a hundred if another rapid shootout occurs, yet Root's absence of a ton in Australia remains a talking point. “I didn't get time to dwell on it,” was his humble reply on being questioned whether that record weighed on him during the first Test.

Team Selection and Chance for History

The England squad trained intensely over the weekend, with hip-hop setting the tone on a hot afternoon. Monday and Wednesday are crucial for England’s preparations, conducted in evening conditions.

Wood being unavailable with a sore knee opens up a spot in the team, and Will Jacks practicing among the batsmen hints he could be the frontrunner. His 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 is still in the mix if England opt for an all-pace attack, while off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was included last week. Much to think about, indeed, at a venue where the visitors have not won a Test in over 40 years.

“It is a chance to make history,” Root said regarding this. “It would be all the sweeter if we win here.”