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One might speculate whether Cricket Australia intentionally chooses to be opaque about player availability or simply has a deficiency in communications, but once again, the fitness of players and the makeup of the XI must be inferred from the selection in the larger squad for the Brisbane match.

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 come to pass.

Cummins is the surprise for his omission, with the team skipper 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 “Pat Cummins will travel to Brisbane to continue his preparations.”

Suggestions from within CA indicate that everything is on track and his recovery remains happily on track, with a probable return to the side soon. In theory, Cummins could even join the Brisbane squad in coming days if deemed fit by staff. But still, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Recalling when his medical tests came back positive in last month, initiating the countdown on his return to play, all public commentary from the bowler himself and timelines from CA suggested he would just be unavailable for the first Test and was set to practice at nearly full tilt with the team during the match. The head coach remarked, “He will be up and bowling 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 visible restrictions and, importantly, was using a pink Kookaburra ball, presumably as preparation for the day-night Test.

What prompted the shift, 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? Additionally, there are eight more days of rest between Brisbane and the third Test. Should he target Adelaide, it will be over two months since he started training again.

This is acceptable: prognoses can change, medical staff can be conservative, athletes might take care. What’s strange is that during the most anticipated and closely followed Ashes contest in Australia’s calendar, the board officials don’t appear to consider it necessary to provide updates about the captain’s fitness and availability or the evolving status 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 two paltry fielding innings, keeping Australia’s usual opener from playing his role in both innings and from having any influence when he did bat down the order. Though he may have improved, the fact he’d not experienced them before creates concern that they might recur in the pressure of Brisbane.

His inclusion logically means he is set to return to opening the batting, even though Travis Head made a record-setting century in Perth. He wouldn’t be selected as a backup or to play lower. Once more, there is no official information about this, only the squad listing.

This doesn’t mean that teams should have to give a full lineup when picking their squad, and plans can change. However, certain decisions are clearer than others, and considering how Head’s whirlwind captured public attention, it would do no harm to clarify where both batsmen are slotted to play. A bit of mystery in life is a positive, but creating it out of the broadly obvious is unnecessary. For those aiming of winning over audiences, communication goes a long way.