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One might speculate whether Cricket Australia deliberately prefers to be unclear about team selection or simply lacks effectiveness in public relations, but once again, the fitness of players and final team composition must be inferred from the selection in the larger squad for the second Ashes Test.

Normally, an identical team list would not be much news, but on this occasion it is, due to the anticipated changes involving both key players, none of which has now eventuated.

Cummins is the surprise for his omission, with the regular captain and pace spearhead 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 this is all situation normal and his recovery remains happily on track, with a probable return to the team in the near future. Theoretically, he might still be added to the Brisbane squad in coming days if deemed fit by staff. However, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Recalling when his medical tests came back positive in October, initiating the countdown on his buildup to match fitness, all official statements from the bowler himself 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. 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 Sydney following the team’s raucous two-day win, he was seen bowling in the New South Wales nets without any apparent limitations and, importantly, was using a pink Kookaburra ball, what one would assume as preparation for the day-night Test.

What prompted the shift, well over a month since he indicated requiring four weeks to build up his workload, and with less than a week to go in the Gabba? Not to mention, there are over a week’s break between Brisbane and the third Test. If the latter is Cummins’ destination, it will be over two months since he started training again.

This is acceptable: medical opinions evolve, medical staff can be conservative, athletes might take care. What’s strange 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 necessary to provide updates about the skipper’s condition or the evolving status of either.

And if caution is the watchword with Cummins, the reverse is true with Khawaja’s back injury. He had spasms flare up in the first Test 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. Though he may have improved, the newness of the problem 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 his place. Khawaja wouldn’t be picked as a backup or to play lower. Once more, there is no official information about this, just the selection.

It isn’t necessary that sides must reveal a whole XI when picking their squad, and strategies may shift. However, certain decisions are clearer than others, and given the way Head’s whirlwind captured public attention, it would do no harm to confirm where those two players are slotted to play. Some uncertainty in sports is a positive, but manufacturing it out of the broadly obvious is needless. For those aiming of winning over audiences, communication goes a long way.