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One might speculate whether Cricket Australia deliberately prefers to be opaque about player availability or simply lacks effectiveness in communications, but once again, the health status of athletes and final team composition must be deduced from the selection in the larger squad for the second Ashes Test.

Normally, an unchanged squad would not attract attention, but on this occasion it is, due to the possible movement involving both key players, none of which has now eventuated.

The unexpected element is Cummins for not being included, with the team skipper and fast-bowling leader progressing in rehabilitation from early signs of a back injury. The sole official statement was a cursory line with the team announcement stating that Cummins is scheduled to go to Brisbane to continue his preparations.”

Insider reports indicate that everything is on track and his healing is proceeding well, 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 public commentary from the bowler himself and timelines from CA suggested he would just be unavailable for the first Test 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 fans will wonder 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 New South Wales nets without any apparent limitations and, importantly, was training with a pink ball, presumably as readiness for the Brisbane day-night game.

What prompted the shift, well over a month since Cummins said he would need a month to prepare his workload, and with six days until the first ball in Brisbane? Not to mention, there are over a week’s break between Brisbane and the third Test. Should he target Adelaide, it will be more than seven weeks since he resumed bowling.

That in itself is fine: prognoses can change, doctors may be cautious, athletes might take care. What’s strange is that during the high-profile Test series in the season, the board officials seem not to think it reasonable to share updates about the skipper’s condition or the evolving status of either.

And if caution is the watchword with the captain, the opposite applies with Khawaja’s back injury. He had spasms flare up in Perth during two paltry fielding innings, preventing the regular batsman from playing his role in both innings 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 could return 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 backup or to play lower. But again, there is no confirmation about this, only the squad listing.

This doesn’t mean that teams should have to give a full lineup 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 do no harm to clarify where those two players are due to bat. Some uncertainty in sports is a positive, but creating it out of the broadly obvious is unnecessary. If you’re in the business of winning over audiences, communication goes a long way.