England's Joe Root Shares Mixed Views on Day-Night Test Games Before Pivotal Ashes Encounter
It's not often for an England player is accused of whinging down under, yet when the former captain was questioned regarding the need of day-night Tests during the Ashes, he offered a straightforward response.
“My personal view is no,” Root stated before England's practice in Brisbane. “Clearly highly popular and well-received here in Australia, and Australia have an impressive record with the pink ball. It's understandable 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. In a contest of this magnitude, is it essential? I don’t think so … but that doesn’t mean it has no place. I don’t mind it. In my opinion it matches the conventional format. But it’s in the schedule. We have to participate, and must ensure to be better than Australia in these conditions.”
Joe Root's Performance in Day-Night Tests Declines
Similar to his opposite number, Steve Smith, Root's usually stellar stats take a hit with the pink ball. The Yorkshire batsman has played all seven England's floodlit Tests so far, and despite a hundred in his first outing against West Indies in 2017, his career average of 50.9 drops to 38.5 under lights.
On the other hand, paceman Mitchell Starc averages 28.97 with a strike-rate around 50 in general, yet these figures shift to 17 and 33 respectively with the pink ball. During his most recent pink-ball appearance, in Jamaica, he took six wickets for nine runs as the opposition were bowled out for 27—career-best figures that were soon surpassed with seven for 58 in the next Test.
Key Battle Between Root and Starc Could Shape Series
The head-to-head between Root and Starc is shaping up to be a potential deciding factors in the Ashes. While Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood have traditionally caused him issues, in their absence in the first Test, the veteran Starc who dismissed him for scores of zero and eight.
Root later reasoned that the first dismissal was just a good ball—the type that might not carry to slip back home. His next dismissal, bowled chopping on, amid second-day collapse, was a miscalculation by him. “I am confident in my ability,” he stated. “I know I’m going to score runs again.”
The Touring Side's Challenges and Readiness
Starc now uses the wobble seam as his main tactic these days—he admitted he should have listened to Hazlewood and Cummins suggestions earlier—and in humid Brisbane, swing could come into play. England, trailing 1-0, have more to overcome this week, and contributions by their top batsman could aid in recovering from a self-inflicted hole.
This may not require a hundred if another rapid shootout occurs, but Root’s lack of a century on Australian soil continues to haunt him. “I didn't get time to dwell on it,” was his humble reply when asked whether that record bothered him in Perth.
Team Selection and Chance for History
Root and his teammates trained intensely over the weekend, to the sound of hip-hop setting the tone in the heat. The key sessions are vital for England’s preparations, conducted in evening conditions.
Wood being unavailable with a sore knee has created an opening in the team, and Will Jacks netting with the main batters suggests he might be the frontrunner. His off-spin are decent, and extra runs at number eight could balance any conceded runs.
However, seamer Tongue was with the reserves in Canberra and remains an option should England choose pace-heavy bowling, while off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was in the squad previously. Plenty to consider, indeed, at a venue where the visitors have not won a Test in over 40 years.
“It's an opportunity to create history,” Root said on this fact. “It would make it even more satisfying if we win at this ground.”
