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You could wonder whether Cricket Australia deliberately prefers to be unclear about team selection or simply has a deficiency in public relations, but once again, the health status of athletes and the makeup of the XI must be deduced from the selection in the larger squad for the second Ashes Test.

Normally, an identical team list would not be much news, but on this occasion it is, due to the anticipated changes involving both key players, neither of which has now eventuated.

The unexpected element is Cummins for not being included, with the team skipper and pace spearhead deep into his recovery from initial symptoms of a stress fracture. The sole official statement was a brief mention with the squad release stating that “Pat Cummins will travel to Brisbane to further his training.”

Insider reports indicate that this is all situation normal and his recovery remains happily on track, with a likely addition to the side soon. In theory, he might still be added to the Test squad in coming days if he and management so choose. However, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Recalling when his medical tests came back positive in October, initiating the countdown on his buildup to match fitness, all public commentary from the player and board schedules suggested he would just be unavailable for the first Test and was set to practice at close to full intensity with the squad in Perth. The head coach remarked, “Cummins will be fit to bowl in Perth, and fans will wonder why he’s not playing.”

After returning to his home city following the team’s raucous two-day win, he was observed practicing in the New South Wales nets without any visible restrictions and, importantly, was training with a pink ball, what one would assume as readiness for the Brisbane day-night game.

What prompted the shift, more than four weeks since he indicated requiring a month to prepare bowling loads, and with less than a week to go in the Gabba? Additionally, there are eight more days of rest between Brisbane and the third Test. Should he target Adelaide, it will be more than seven weeks since he started training again.

That in itself is fine: prognoses can change, medical staff can be conservative, players can be cautious. It’s just peculiar is that during the high-profile Test series in Australia’s calendar, the governing body’s representatives seem not to think it reasonable to share updates about the captain’s fitness and availability or the evolving status of either.

If care is the priority with the captain, the reverse is true with Khawaja’s back injury. He had muscle spasms in the first Test during brief periods on the field, keeping Australia’s usual opener from playing his role in the match and from having any influence when he did bat down the order. Though he may have improved, the newness of the problem creates concern that they could return in the pressure of Brisbane.

His inclusion suggests he is set to return to the top order, even though Travis Head made a record-setting century in his place. He wouldn’t be selected as a backup or to bat down the order. Once more, there is no official information about this, just the selection.

This doesn’t mean that sides must reveal a whole XI when picking their squad, and strategies may shift. However, certain decisions are clearer than others, and given the way Travis Head’s explosive performance drew fan interest, it would cause no issue to clarify where both batsmen are slotted to play. Some uncertainty in sports is a positive, but creating it out of the broadly obvious is unnecessary. For those aiming of engaging fans, communication goes a long way.