Joe Root has defended England’s preparation methods after England squandered five opportunities on day two of the second Test at the Gabba—errors allowing Australia to seize control of the game. Four of those missed chances came in a chaotic final session under lights, during which the pink ball’s visibility proved problematic and Australia built a valuable 44-run lead with four wickets still in hand.
One of the most damaging misses came early in Australia’s innings when wicketkeeper Jamie Smith dropped Travis Head on 3. Head capitalised on his reprieve to make 33. The final session brought further frustration when Ben Duckett failed to hold a straightforward chance at gully that would have dismissed Alex Carey for a golden duck.
"We worked as hard as we could in the lead-up to this. We had five days of prep, and we did a huge amount of catching and making sure we utilised those two sessions under lights well. Sometimes they just don't stick and you've got to keep applying yourself and wanting the ball so you're ready when that next opportunity comes. you are ready for it," he said at the press conference.
When asked to reflect on his maiden Test century in Australia, Root was steadfast in his views, saying he will be able to comment on it at the end of the series.
"I think I will be more equipped to tell you at the end of the game, really. I am grateful for all the support, but this tour is not about me scoring a hundred in Australia. It is about us trying to win the Ashes. My job is to score as many runs as I can, as a senior batter in the team," he said.
"I felt like over the last couple of years I have got a really good understanding of how I want to approach different conditions and an understanding of my own game and how I am going to apply myself against different attacks."