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One might speculate whether Cricket Australia deliberately prefers to be opaque about player availability or simply lacks effectiveness in communications, but yet again, the health status of athletes and the makeup of the XI must be inferred from the 14-player squad announcement for the Brisbane match.

Typically, an identical team list would not attract attention, but this time it is, thanks to the anticipated changes involving Pat Cummins and Usman Khawaja, none of which has now eventuated.

Cummins is the surprise for his omission, with the regular captain and fast-bowling leader progressing in rehabilitation from initial symptoms of a stress fracture. The only public acknowledgment was a brief mention with the team announcement stating that Cummins is scheduled to go 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 team in the near future. In theory, he might still be added to the Brisbane squad in coming days if he and management so choose. However, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Going back to when his medical tests came back positive in last month, starting the clock on his buildup to match fitness, all public commentary from the bowler himself and timelines from CA suggested he would just be unavailable for the initial match and was set to practice at close to full intensity with the team during the match. Coach Andrew McDonald said, “Cummins will be fit to bowl in Perth, and fans will wonder why he’s not playing.”

Once Cummins got back to his home city following the victory in the west, he was observed practicing in the New South Wales nets without any apparent limitations and, most notably, 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 Cummins said he would need four weeks to build up his workload, and with less than a week to go in the Gabba? Not to mention, there are eight more days of rest between matches. If the latter is Cummins’ destination, it will be more than seven weeks since he resumed bowling.

This is acceptable: medical opinions evolve, medical staff can be conservative, players can be cautious. It’s just peculiar is that during the most anticipated and closely followed Ashes contest in the season, the board officials seem not to think it reasonable to share updates about the skipper’s condition or the changing nature of either.

If care is the priority with the captain, the reverse is true with the opener’s issue. 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 making an impact when he did bat down the order. Even if his symptoms have subsided, the newness of the problem creates concern that they might recur in the pressure of Brisbane.

With Khawaja in the squad suggests he is set to return to the top order, even though Travis Head made a record-setting century in his place. Khawaja wouldn’t be picked as a reserve or to play lower. But again, there is no confirmation about this, just the selection.

It isn’t necessary that sides must reveal a full lineup when announcing selections, and strategies may shift. But some plans are firmer than others, and considering how Travis Head’s explosive performance captured public attention, it would cause no issue to clarify where both batsmen are slotted to play. A bit of mystery in life is a good thing, but creating it out of the broadly obvious is unnecessary. If you’re in the business of winning over audiences, communication goes a long way.