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One might speculate whether Cricket Australia deliberately prefers to be opaque about player availability or simply has a deficiency in communications, but yet again, the fitness of players and the makeup of the XI must be inferred from the 14-player squad announcement for the second Ashes Test.

Typically, an identical team list would not attract attention, but on this occasion it is, thanks to the anticipated changes involving both key players, neither of which has come to pass.

Cummins is the surprise for his omission, with the team skipper and fast-bowling leader deep into his recovery from initial symptoms of a back injury. The sole official statement was a brief mention with the team announcement stating that “Pat Cummins will travel to Brisbane to continue his preparations.”

Insider reports indicate that this is all situation normal and his recovery remains happily on track, with a probable return to the team in the near future. In theory, Cummins could even join the Test squad in the next few days if deemed fit by staff. But still, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Going back to when his medical tests came back positive in October, starting the clock on his return to play, all official statements from the bowler himself and board schedules suggested he would only narrowly miss the first Test and was set to practice at close to full intensity with the team during the match. Coach Andrew McDonald said, “He will be up and bowling in Perth, and fans will wonder why he’s not playing.”

Once Cummins got back to Sydney following the team’s raucous two-day win, he was seen bowling in the New South Wales nets without any visible restrictions and, most notably, was training with a pink ball, what one would assume as preparation for the day-night Test.

What prompted the shift, well over a month since Cummins said he would need a month to prepare bowling loads, 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, athletes might take care. It’s just peculiar is that during the most anticipated and closely followed Ashes contest in the season, the board officials don’t appear to consider it necessary to provide updates about the skipper’s condition or the changing nature of either.

If care is the priority with the captain, the opposite applies with the opener’s issue. He had spasms flare up in the first Test during brief periods on the field, keeping Australia’s usual opener from doing so in the match and from making an impact when he eventually batted. Even if his symptoms have subsided, the fact he’d not experienced them before surely leaves some risk that they might recur in the heat of the next Test.

With Khawaja in the squad suggests he is set to return to opening the batting, even though Travis Head made a record-setting century in Perth. Khawaja wouldn’t be picked as a reserve or to bat down the order. Once more, there is no official information about this, just the selection.

It isn’t necessary that teams should have to give a full lineup when announcing selections, and plans can change. However, certain decisions are clearer than others, and considering how Travis Head’s explosive performance captured public attention, it would do no harm to clarify where both batsmen are due to bat. Some uncertainty in sports is a positive, but manufacturing it out of the clearly evident is unnecessary. If you’re in the business of winning over audiences, transparency is crucial.