This is where Joe Root's England captaincy will be defined. History will judge his leadership on this third crack at the biggest prize in Test cricket rather than a record which sees Root with more wins and, soon, more games in charge than any other captain.
It really is now, in the always harsh environment of Australia made even more hostile this time because of the lack of travelling support, or never for Root to become an Ashes winning England captain. And to be remembered as much for his achievements in charge as for batting that sees him well on the way to becoming an all-time great.
There will surely not be a fourth chance in two years time even though Root is expected to carry on at the helm win or lose after this strange Covid affected Ashes.
This Ashes series against Australia is where Joe Root's England captaincy will be defined
It really is now or never for Root to become an Ashes winning England captain
His popularity among the players, the desire of the ECB not to judge their captain and coach too harshly on results during this difficult period and the lack of any viable alternatives all but guarantee that - even though we have already argued in these pages this would be the perfect time for Root to hand over, whether on a high or low note.
There is no doubt Root needs to maintain the sublime personal form that has seen him hit six centuries this year, four of them the true 'daddy' hundreds that former captain and batting coach Graham Gooch used to crave. And at an average of 66 too.
But the captain has never reached three figures in his two chastening tours of Australia, one as the bright young thing of English batting and the other as a rookie captain. And that has to change now if England are to have any chance of upsetting the Ashes odds.
There is no doubt Root needs to maintain the sublime personal form that has seen him hit six centuries this year
But the captain has never reached three figures in his two chastening tours of Australia
'I look back at my trips here and I probably put too much pressure on myself,' Root reflected on Monday. 'This time I want to go out there and try and play with the same mindset I've had for the rest of this year.
'I'm really trying to enjoy my batting, trying to keep real clarity in how I want to score my runs and just enjoy what a wonderful series this is set up to be.'
But Root cannot do it all on his own against a home attack led by a new captain in Pat Cummins who has dismissed him seven times in two previous Ashes. As a record of just four wins in England's last 12 Tests despite the captain being in the form of his life proves.
Step up, then, the other world-class member of England's batting line-up in Ben Stokes, back after time
