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Rarely for an England player gets labeled as complaining down under, but when Joe Root was questioned regarding the need for pink-ball cricket during the Ashes, he gave an honest answer.

“I personally don’t think so,” Root stated prior to England's practice in Brisbane. “It’s obviously very successful and popular in this country, and Australia boast a strong record with the pink ball. It's understandable why we’re playing.

“In the end, we are aware from two years out that it’s scheduled. It's a requirement of preparing for such contests. For a series like this, is it essential? I don’t think so … but that doesn’t mean it has no place. I'm fine with it. In my opinion it’s as good as traditional Test cricket. But it’s in the schedule. We’ve got to play it, and must ensure to be better than Australia at it.”

Root's Performance in Day-Night Tests Suffers

Like his counterpart, Steve Smith, Root’s typically strong numbers take a hit with the pink ball. The England star has played each of the seven of England’s floodlit Tests so far, and despite a century in his debut such match versus the Windies in 2017, his overall average above 50 falls to 38.5 under lights.

On the other hand, bowler Mitchell Starc averages 28.97 and a strike rate around 50 in general, yet these figures improve to 17 and 33 correspondingly in day-night Tests. In his last floodlit game, in Jamaica, he took six wickets for nine runs as the opposition were dismissed for 27—his best performance that were soon surpassed with seven for 58 in Perth.

Deciding Duel Root vs Starc Could Shape Series

The head-to-head between Root and Starc is shaping up to be one of the key contests in the Ashes. Although Cummins and Hazlewood usually troubled him more, with them missing in the first Test, the veteran Starc who got him out for scores of zero and eight.

Root has reflected that the first dismissal was just a good ball—the type that may not reach the slips back home. The second, bowled chopping on, amid the team's slump, was a miscalculation on his part. “I know I’m a good player,” he stated. “I believe I will return to form.”

The Touring Side's Hurdles and Preparations

Starc has adopted the wobble-seam as his main tactic nowadays—he admitted he should have listened his teammates' advice sooner—and in muggy conditions, swing could come into play. England, down one match, face additional obstacles in this Test, and runs from their top batsman would help in recovering from a self-inflicted hole.

This may not require a century if another rapid shootout unfolds, yet Root's absence of a ton in Australia remains a talking point. “I didn’t have long enough to think about it,” he modestly answered on being questioned whether that record weighed on him in Perth.

Squad Decisions and Historic Opportunity

The England squad trained intensely over the weekend, to the sound of hip-hop setting the tone on a hot afternoon. The key sessions are vital for their readiness, conducted in evening conditions.

Wood being unavailable due to a knee issue opens up a spot in the team, with Jacks practicing among the batsmen suggests he might be the frontrunner. The all-rounder’s off-breaks are adequate, and additional scoring down the order might offset any bowling leaks.

However, seamer Tongue has been with the Lions in Canberra and is still in the mix if England opt for an all-pace attack, and spinner Bashir was included last week. Plenty to consider, indeed, at a venue where the visitors haven’t won a match in over 40 years.

“It is a chance to make history,” Root said on this fact. “It would make it even more satisfying if we win at this ground.”