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You could wonder whether Cricket Australia deliberately prefers to be opaque about player availability or simply has a deficiency in public relations, but once again, the fitness of players and final team composition must be inferred from the 14-player squad announcement for the second Ashes Test.

Typically, an unchanged squad would not attract attention, but this time it is, due to the anticipated changes involving both key players, none of which has now eventuated.

The unexpected element is Cummins for his omission, with the team skipper and fast-bowling leader progressing in rehabilitation from early signs of a stress fracture. The only public acknowledgment was a cursory line with the team announcement stating that “Pat Cummins will travel to Brisbane to continue his preparations.”

Suggestions from within CA support the view that this is all situation normal and his recovery remains happily on track, with a probable return to the team in the near future. Theoretically, he might still be added to the Brisbane squad in coming days if he and management so choose. However, the explanations seem inconsistent.

Recalling when his medical tests came back positive in October, starting the clock on his return to play, all public commentary from the player and board schedules indicated he would only narrowly miss the initial match and was scheduled to train at close to full intensity with the squad in Perth. The head coach remarked, “He will be up and bowling in Perth, and people will be sitting there questioning why he’s not playing.”

Once Cummins got back to his home city following the team’s raucous two-day win, he was seen bowling 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.

So, why the change of plans, more than four weeks since he indicated requiring four weeks to build up his workload, and with less than a week to go in Brisbane? Not to mention, there are over a week’s break between matches. If the latter is Cummins’ destination, it will be over two months since he resumed bowling.

That in itself is fine: prognoses can change, doctors may be cautious, players can be cautious. What’s strange is that during the most anticipated and closely followed Ashes contest in Australia’s calendar, the board officials seem not to think it reasonable to share updates about the captain’s fitness and availability or the changing nature of either.

If care is the priority with the captain, the opposite applies with Khawaja’s back injury. He had spasms flare up in Perth during brief periods on the field, keeping Australia’s usual opener from doing so in both innings and from having any influence when he did bat down the order. Even if his symptoms have subsided, the fact he’d not experienced them before surely leaves some risk that they could return in the heat of the next Test.

His inclusion suggests he is set to return to the top order, even though his replacement scored a historic hundred in Perth. He wouldn’t be selected as a backup or to play lower. Once more, there is no official information about this, just the selection.

It isn’t necessary that sides must reveal a whole XI when picking their squad, and plans can change. However, certain decisions are clearer than others, and given the way Travis Head’s explosive performance captured public attention, it would do no harm to confirm where both batsmen are due to bat. A bit of mystery in sports is a good thing, but creating it out of the broadly obvious is needless. If you’re in the business of winning over audiences, transparency is crucial.