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You could wonder whether Cricket Australia intentionally chooses to be opaque about team selection or simply lacks effectiveness in public relations, but once again, the health status of athletes 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 be much news, but this time it is, thanks to the possible movement involving both key players, neither of which has come to pass.

The unexpected element is Cummins for his omission, with the regular captain and pace spearhead progressing in rehabilitation from early signs 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.”

Insider reports indicate that this is all situation normal and his healing is proceeding well, with a likely addition to the team in the near future. Theoretically, Cummins could even join the Test squad in the next few days if deemed fit by staff. But still, the explanations seem inconsistent.

Going back to when Cummins’ scans were cleared in last month, starting the clock on his buildup to match fitness, all public commentary from the player and timelines from CA indicated he would just be unavailable for the initial match and was scheduled to train at nearly full tilt 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.”

After returning to his home city following the team’s raucous two-day win, he was observed practicing in the state facilities without any visible restrictions and, most notably, was using a pink Kookaburra ball, what one would assume as preparation for the day-night Test.

So, why the change of plans, well over a month since he indicated requiring four weeks to build up bowling loads, and with less than a week to go in Brisbane? Not to mention, there are eight more days of rest between Brisbane and the third Test. If the latter is Cummins’ destination, it will be over two months since he started training again.

That in itself is fine: prognoses can change, medical staff can be conservative, players can be cautious. It’s just peculiar is that during the most anticipated and closely followed Test series in Australia’s calendar, the governing body’s representatives don’t appear to consider it reasonable to share updates about the skipper’s condition or the evolving status of either.

If care is the priority with Cummins, the opposite applies with the opener’s issue. He had spasms flare up in Perth during brief periods on the field, preventing the regular batsman from doing so in both innings and from making an impact when he did bat down the order. Though he may have improved, the fact he’d not experienced them before creates concern that they could return in the pressure of Brisbane.

With Khawaja in the squad logically means 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. But again, there is no official information about this, only the squad listing.

This doesn’t mean that sides must reveal a whole XI when picking their squad, and strategies may shift. However, certain decisions are clearer than others, and considering how Travis Head’s explosive performance drew fan interest, it would do no harm to clarify where those two players are slotted to play. A bit of mystery in sports is a good thing, but manufacturing it out of the broadly obvious is unnecessary. For those aiming of engaging fans, transparency is crucial.