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You could wonder whether Cricket Australia intentionally chooses to be unclear about team selection or simply lacks effectiveness in communications, but once again, the health status of athletes and the makeup of the XI must be deduced from the 14-player squad announcement for the Brisbane match.

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

Cummins is the surprise for his omission, with the regular captain and pace spearhead deep into his recovery from early signs of a stress fracture. The sole official statement was a brief mention with the team announcement stating that “Pat Cummins will travel to Brisbane to further his training.”

Insider reports indicate that this is all situation normal and his healing is proceeding well, with a likely addition to the side soon. Theoretically, Cummins could even join the Test squad in the next few days if he and management so choose. However, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Going back to 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 indicated he would only narrowly miss the first Test and was set to practice at close to full intensity 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 victory in the west, he was seen bowling in the state facilities without any visible restrictions and, importantly, was using a pink Kookaburra ball, what one would assume 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 the Gabba? Not to mention, there are eight more days of rest between Brisbane and the third Test. Should he target Adelaide, it will be more than seven weeks since he resumed bowling.

This is acceptable: prognoses can change, medical staff can be conservative, athletes might take care. It’s just peculiar is that during the most anticipated and closely followed Test series in Australia’s calendar, the board officials don’t appear to consider it reasonable to share updates about the captain’s fitness and availability or the changing nature of either.

And if caution is the watchword with the captain, the opposite applies with the opener’s issue. He had muscle spasms in Perth during two paltry fielding innings, keeping Australia’s usual opener from playing his role in the match and from having any influence when he did bat down the order. Even if his symptoms have subsided, the fact he’d not experienced them before surely leaves some risk that they might recur in the heat of the next Test.

With Khawaja in the squad suggests he is due to resume the top order, even though his replacement scored a historic hundred in his place. He wouldn’t be selected as a reserve or to bat down the order. Once more, there is no confirmation 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 cause no issue to confirm where both batsmen are slotted to play. Some uncertainty in sports is a good thing, but creating it out of the broadly obvious is needless. If you’re in the business of engaging fans, communication goes a long way.