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You could wonder whether Cricket Australia intentionally chooses to be opaque about player availability or simply lacks effectiveness in communications, but yet 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.

Typically, an identical team list would not attract attention, but this time it is, due to the possible movement involving both key players, neither of which has now eventuated.

The unexpected element is Cummins for not being included, with the team skipper and fast-bowling leader deep into his recovery from early signs of a back injury. The only public acknowledgment was a cursory line with the squad release stating that “Pat Cummins will travel to Brisbane to continue his preparations.”

Suggestions from within CA support the view that this is all situation normal and his recovery remains happily on track, with a likely addition to the team in the near future. In theory, Cummins could even join the Brisbane squad in the next few days if he and management so choose. However, the explanations seem inconsistent.

Going back to when Cummins’ scans were cleared in last month, starting the clock on his return to play, all public commentary from the player and board schedules indicated he would only narrowly miss the first Test and was set to practice at close to full intensity 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.”

Once Cummins got back 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, presumably as readiness for the Brisbane day-night game.

So, why the change of plans, more than four weeks 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 eight more days of rest between Brisbane and the third Test. 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. It’s just peculiar is that during the high-profile Ashes contest in Australia’s calendar, the board officials don’t appear to consider it necessary to provide updates about the captain’s fitness and availability 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 muscle spasms in Perth during brief periods on the field, preventing the regular batsman from playing his role in both innings and from having any influence when he did bat down the order. Though he may have improved, the newness of the problem creates concern that they might recur in the heat of the next Test.

His inclusion suggests he is set to return to opening the batting, even though Travis Head made a record-setting century in Perth. Khawaja wouldn’t be picked as a backup or to bat down the order. But again, there is no official information about this, just the selection.

It isn’t necessary that sides must reveal a whole XI when announcing selections, and plans can change. However, certain decisions are clearer than others, and considering how Head’s whirlwind drew fan interest, it would do no harm to confirm where both batsmen are due to bat. Some uncertainty in sports is a positive, but manufacturing it out of the clearly evident is unnecessary. If you’re in the business of engaging fans, transparency is crucial.