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One might speculate whether the Australian cricket board deliberately prefers to be opaque about team selection or simply has a deficiency in communications, but yet again, the fitness of players and final team composition must be deduced from the 14-player squad announcement for the Brisbane match.

Normally, an unchanged squad would not be much news, but this time it is, thanks to the possible movement involving both key players, none of which has come to pass.

The unexpected element is Cummins for his omission, with the team skipper and fast-bowling leader progressing in rehabilitation from initial symptoms of a back injury. The only public acknowledgment was a cursory line with the team announcement stating that “Pat Cummins will travel to Brisbane to further his training.”

Insider reports support the view that everything is on track and his recovery remains happily on track, with a likely addition to the side soon. In theory, Cummins could even join the Test squad in coming days if he and management so choose. However, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Recalling when Cummins’ scans were cleared in last month, initiating the countdown on his buildup to match fitness, all official statements from the player and timelines from CA indicated he would just be unavailable for the first Test 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 fans will wonder why he’s not playing.”

Once Cummins got back to Sydney following the team’s raucous two-day win, he was seen bowling in the state facilities without any visible restrictions and, importantly, was using a pink Kookaburra ball, presumably as preparation for the day-night Test.

What prompted the shift, well over a month since Cummins said he would need a month to prepare 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.

This is acceptable: prognoses can change, doctors may be cautious, athletes might take care. What’s strange is that during the high-profile Ashes contest in Australia’s calendar, the board officials don’t appear to consider it necessary to provide any information 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 Khawaja’s back injury. He had muscle spasms in Perth during two paltry fielding innings, keeping Australia’s usual opener from doing so 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 suggests he is set to return to opening the batting, even though Travis Head made a record-setting century in his place. Khawaja wouldn’t be picked as a backup or to bat down the order. Once more, there is no official information about this, only the squad listing.

This doesn’t mean that sides must reveal a whole XI when announcing selections, 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 cause no issue to confirm where those two players are slotted to play. Some uncertainty in sports 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.