England are hoping for Pink Ball despite Australia's flawless day-night record

England haven't won an Ashes streak in Australia after losing the first Test since 1954-55, and they are entering Adelaide hoping to accomplish this feat. But the first step in correcting that record will be winning a Test Match Point, something they haven't done in their last 11 Tests Down Under.

History and form are against England and much has been pinned on the Adelaide and Hobart Pink Ball Tests to help visitors even get the ledger. The only problem is that Australia won eight out of eight Pink Ball Tests, including five in Adelaide, while England only won one and lost three after playing in their last day-night game in India earlier this year on 10 Wickets was hammered. India itself surrendered in last year's day-night test in Adelaide to Australia and folded in its second inning in bright sunshine for 36.

England needs just as much a bowling performance to fight their way back into this streak and looks like James Anderson and Stuart Broad will welcome it again after both were strangely banned from the gabba test. But their bowling is only half of the equation as their batting matters, although Joe Root is within reach of breaking the all-time record for the most test runs in a calendar year. The skipper is going to need some help if England is to get back on the show.

Australia will want to maintain momentum after a dominant win in Brisbane. They lost Josh Hazlewood to a sideline and Jhye Richardson will replace him while there are fitness concerns about David Warner due to his bruised ribs. Neither Pat Cummins nor Mitchell Starc had to throw more than 35 overs in Brisbane, while three of Australia's top six achieve remarkable results. But Australia didn't score a 200 in last year's Pink Ball Test against India despite winning with eight wickets, and England rolled them for just 138 in the second innings in Adelaide four years ago.

In the spotlight

Marcus Harris stepped into the series with the full support of Australian voters, but the limelight will now be on him after Travis Head resolved all concerns about his place after his 152nd in Brisbane. Harris deserves a longer run at the top of the leaderboard, but if he fails to score in Adelaide, questions about Melbourne will arise. Harris faced 17 balls in the first innings at Brisbane, none of which would have hit the stumps, and his decision-making was less than convincing as he only slipped for 3 needed to make any significant contribution to the game for Australia To set up middle class.

England need more of Jos Buttler with the bat. In 2021, he played 12 Test innings averaging 29 for only half a century, but passed 20 nine times, including twice in Brisbane. His rearguard in England's first innings proved he can do some damage to Australia if he gets going, but 20's and 30's don't win friendly matches. Root needs support and with Ben Stokes down, Buttler is the next most experienced player in the top 7 and the man best able to take a game away from Australia as Head did against England.

Team news

Australia made only one change: Richardson replaced the injured Hazlewood. Richardson was in great shape in Sheffield Shield cricket for Western Australia this season, making his testing debut in a Pink Ball Test in 2019. There were concerns about Warner's fitness as his bruised ribs continued to make him uncomfortable, but Australian skipper Pat Cummins confirmed he would act out the pain.

Australia Squad:  1 David Warner, 2 Marcus Harris, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Cameron Green, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Jhye Richardson, 11 Nathan Lyon

England have called their 12 with Anderson and Broad and Mark Wood has rested. But England has a problem with balancing their attack. You will be tempted to drop Jack Leach and play four sailors, but Damien Hough, curator of the Adelaide Oval, cautioned against it, even though very few spinners have succeeded in Pink Ball tests in Adelaide. Inflated pricing is also an issue after England docked 100% of their gaming fees for a glacier prize in Brisbane.

England Squad:  1 Rory Burns, 2 Haseeb Hameed, 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Joe Root (capt), 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Ollie Pope, 7 Jos Buttler (wk), 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Ollie Robinson, 10 Stuart Broad/Jack Leach, 11 James Anderson