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You could wonder whether Cricket Australia intentionally chooses to be unclear 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 selection in the larger squad for the second Ashes Test.

Typically, an unchanged squad would not attract attention, but this time it is, due 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 team skipper and pace spearhead progressing in rehabilitation from early signs 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 continue his preparations.”

Insider reports indicate that everything is on track and his recovery remains happily on track, with a likely addition to the team in the near future. In theory, Cummins could even join the Brisbane squad in the next few days if he and management so choose. But still, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Going back to when Cummins’ scans were cleared in October, initiating the countdown on his return to play, all public commentary from the bowler himself and timelines from CA suggested he would only narrowly miss the initial match and was set to practice at nearly full tilt with the team during the match. Coach Andrew McDonald said, “Cummins will be fit to bowl in Perth, and people will be sitting there questioning why he’s not playing.”

After returning to Sydney following the victory in the west, he was seen bowling in the New South Wales nets without any visible restrictions and, most notably, was training with a pink ball, presumably 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 bowling loads, and with less than a week to go in Brisbane? Additionally, there are eight more days of rest between matches. Should he target Adelaide, it will be more than seven weeks since he resumed bowling.

This is acceptable: prognoses can change, medical staff can be conservative, players can be cautious. What’s strange is that during the high-profile Ashes contest in the season, the board officials seem not to think it necessary to provide updates about the skipper’s condition or the evolving status of either.

If care is the priority with Cummins, the reverse is true 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 the match and from making an impact 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 might recur in the pressure of Brisbane.

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 reserve or to play lower. Once more, there is no official information about this, only the squad listing.

This doesn’t mean that sides must reveal a full lineup when announcing selections, and plans can change. However, certain decisions are clearer than others, and given the way Head’s whirlwind drew fan interest, it would cause no issue to clarify where those two players are slotted to play. A bit of mystery in life is a good thing, but creating it out of the clearly evident is unnecessary. For those aiming of winning over audiences, communication goes a long way.