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One might speculate whether the Australian cricket board deliberately prefers to be opaque about player availability or simply lacks effectiveness in communications, but yet again, the fitness of players and the makeup of the XI must be deduced from the 14-player squad announcement for the second Ashes Test.

Typically, an unchanged squad would not attract attention, but on this occasion it is, thanks to the anticipated changes involving Pat Cummins and Usman Khawaja, neither of which has now eventuated.

The unexpected element is Cummins for not being included, with the regular captain and pace spearhead progressing in rehabilitation from initial symptoms of a back injury. The only public acknowledgment was a brief mention with the squad release 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 healing is proceeding well, with a likely addition to the side soon. Theoretically, he might still be added to the Brisbane squad in coming days if he and management so choose. But still, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Recalling when his medical tests came back positive in last month, starting the clock on his buildup to match fitness, all official statements from the bowler himself and timelines from CA 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, “Cummins will be fit to bowl 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 state facilities without any apparent limitations and, importantly, was training with a pink ball, presumably as preparation for the day-night Test.

What prompted the shift, well over a month since Cummins said he would need four weeks to build up bowling loads, and with six days until the first ball in Brisbane? Additionally, there are over a week’s break between matches. If the latter is Cummins’ destination, 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, athletes might take care. 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 Cummins, the reverse is true with the opener’s issue. He had muscle spasms in the first Test during two paltry fielding innings, preventing the regular batsman from playing his role in the match and from having any influence when he eventually batted. Though he may have improved, the newness of the problem surely leaves some risk that they might recur 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 reserve or to play lower. 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. But some plans are firmer than others, and given the way Travis Head’s explosive performance drew fan interest, it would cause no issue to clarify where those two players are slotted to play. A bit of mystery in sports is a positive, but creating it out of the broadly obvious is needless. For those aiming of winning over audiences, transparency is crucial.