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You could wonder whether Cricket Australia deliberately prefers to be opaque about team selection or simply lacks effectiveness in communications, but once again, the fitness of players and the makeup of the XI must be deduced from the 14-player squad announcement for the second Ashes Test.

Normally, an unchanged squad would not attract attention, but this time it is, due to the possible movement involving Pat Cummins and Usman Khawaja, none of which has now eventuated.

Cummins is the surprise for his omission, with the regular captain and fast-bowling leader deep into his recovery from early signs of a stress fracture. The only public acknowledgment was a cursory line with the team announcement stating that “Pat Cummins will travel 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, he might still be added to the Brisbane squad in the next few days if deemed fit by staff. However, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Going back to when Cummins’ scans were cleared in last month, starting the clock on his buildup to match fitness, all public commentary from the player and timelines from CA suggested he would only narrowly miss the initial match and was set to practice at nearly full tilt with the squad in Perth. The head coach remarked, “Cummins will be fit to bowl in Perth, and fans will wonder why he’s not playing.”

Once Cummins got back to Sydney following the victory in the west, he was seen bowling in the state facilities without any visible restrictions and, most notably, was using a pink Kookaburra ball, what one would assume as preparation for the day-night Test.

So, why the change of plans, 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 matches. If the latter is Cummins’ destination, it will be over two months since he resumed bowling.

This is acceptable: prognoses can change, medical staff can be conservative, athletes might take care. What’s strange is that during the most anticipated and closely followed Ashes contest in Australia’s calendar, the governing body’s representatives seem not to think it reasonable to share any information about the skipper’s condition or the evolving status of either.

And if caution is the watchword with Cummins, 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 making an impact when he eventually batted. Even if his symptoms have subsided, the fact he’d not experienced them before creates concern that they could return in the heat of the next Test.

His inclusion 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 backup or to play lower. Once more, there is no confirmation about this, only the squad listing.

It isn’t necessary that sides must reveal a whole XI when announcing selections, and strategies may shift. But some plans are firmer than others, and considering how Head’s whirlwind drew fan interest, it would cause no issue to confirm where both batsmen are due to bat. A bit of mystery in life is a good thing, but creating it out of the clearly evident is needless. If you’re in the business of winning over audiences, transparency is crucial.