Australia's No 3 Marnus Labuschagne will be itching to get back to playing after making a successful return for the Test side in the Ashes opener in Perth, having missed the West Indies series. Labuschagne got dismissed cheaply in the first innings but utilised the improving conditions in the second innings to score an unbeaten half-century and will be keen to build on it in the day-night Test at the Gabba in Brisbane.
Labuschagne has amassed 958 runs in day-night Tests and is just 42 runs away from becoming the first player to reach the milestone of 1,000 runs in pink-ball matches. The Australian No 3 averages 63.86 in day-night Tests in 15 innings, having scored four centuries and as many fifties in nine pink-ball matches. Labuschagne scored a half-century the last time Australia played a day-night Test in Adelaide against Australia and will be keen to continue his run of form at the Gabba this week.
Steve Smith is next on the list, having scored 815 runs in 124 innings. It looks unlikely that Smith will be able to score 185 runs across two innings at the Gabba, but can get close to Labuschagne in the second Ashes Test. The top five leading run-getters in day-night Tests are all Australians, given that the two-time Test finalists have played the most number of pink-ball games.
England's Joe Root is in sixth position with 501 runs to his name and after a flopshow in Perth, the No 4 batter will be keen to make amends at the Gabba.
This is just the fourth day-night Test match at the Gabba and Australia have won two out of the previous three. This will be the first day-night Test at the venue in the Ashes and having been 0-1 down in the series, England would want to level the series, as 0-2 might look even dreary and comeback from there would be too difficult.