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You could wonder whether the Australian cricket board deliberately prefers to be unclear about player availability or simply has a deficiency in public relations, but yet again, the fitness of players 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 be much news, but this time it is, due to the anticipated changes involving both key players, none of which has now eventuated.

The unexpected element is Cummins for his omission, with the team skipper 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 Cummins is scheduled to go to Brisbane to continue his preparations.”

Suggestions from within CA indicate that this is all situation normal and his healing is proceeding well, with a likely addition to the side soon. In theory, Cummins could even join the Test squad in the next few days if he and management so choose. But still, the explanations seem inconsistent.

Recalling when Cummins’ scans were cleared 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. Coach Andrew McDonald said, “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 Sydney following the victory in the west, he was seen bowling in the New South Wales nets without any apparent limitations and, most notably, 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 he indicated requiring four weeks to build up his workload, and with six days until the first ball in Brisbane? Additionally, there are eight more days of rest between Brisbane and the third Test. If the latter is Cummins’ destination, it will be over two months since he resumed bowling.

That in itself is fine: prognoses can change, doctors may be cautious, players can be cautious. What’s strange is that during the most anticipated and closely followed Test series in Australia’s calendar, the governing body’s representatives seem not to think it reasonable to share updates about the skipper’s condition or the changing nature of either.

If care is the priority with Cummins, the opposite applies with the opener’s issue. He had muscle spasms in Perth during brief periods on the field, keeping Australia’s usual opener from doing so in the match and from having any influence when he eventually batted. Even if his symptoms have subsided, the fact he’d not experienced them before creates concern that they might recur in the pressure of Brisbane.

With Khawaja in the squad logically means he is set to return to opening the batting, even though Travis Head made a record-setting century in Perth. He wouldn’t be selected as a reserve or to bat down the order. But again, there is no confirmation about this, only the squad listing.

It isn’t necessary that teams should have to give a full lineup when picking their squad, and strategies may shift. 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 slotted to play. Some uncertainty in sports is a positive, but manufacturing it out of the broadly obvious is unnecessary. For those aiming of engaging fans, communication goes a long way.