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You could wonder whether the Australian cricket board deliberately prefers to be unclear about team selection or simply lacks effectiveness in public relations, 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 unchanged squad would not be much news, but this time it is, due to the anticipated changes involving both key players, none of which has come to pass.

Cummins is the surprise for his omission, with the team skipper and pace spearhead deep into his recovery from early signs of a stress fracture. The only public acknowledgment was a brief mention with the team announcement stating that “Pat Cummins will travel to Brisbane to continue his preparations.”

Suggestions from within CA support the view that everything is on track and his healing is proceeding well, with a likely addition to the team in the near future. Theoretically, he might still be added to the Brisbane squad in the next few days if he and management so choose. But still, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Going back to when his medical tests came back positive in last month, initiating the countdown on his return to play, all public commentary from the player and board schedules suggested he would just be unavailable for the initial match and was scheduled to train at nearly full tilt with the team during the match. The head coach remarked, “He will be up and bowling in Perth, and fans will wonder why he’s not playing.”

After returning to Sydney 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 using a pink Kookaburra ball, presumably as readiness for the Brisbane day-night game.

So, why the change of plans, well over a month since Cummins said he would need four weeks to build up his workload, and with six days until the first ball in Brisbane? Additionally, there are over a week’s break 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: medical opinions evolve, doctors may be cautious, players can be cautious. What’s strange is that during the high-profile Ashes contest in the season, the board officials seem not to think it necessary to provide any information about the captain’s fitness and availability or the evolving status of either.

If care is the priority with the captain, the opposite applies with Khawaja’s back injury. 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 eventually batted. Though he may have improved, the fact he’d not experienced them before surely leaves some risk that they could return in the heat of the next Test.

His inclusion logically means he is due to resume opening the batting, even though his replacement scored a historic hundred in Perth. Khawaja wouldn’t be picked as a reserve or to bat down the order. But again, there is no official information about this, only the squad listing.

This doesn’t mean that teams should have to give a whole XI when announcing selections, and plans can change. However, certain decisions are clearer than others, and considering how Travis Head’s explosive performance captured public attention, it would cause no issue to confirm where both batsmen are due to bat. A bit of mystery in sports is a good thing, but creating it out of the clearly evident is unnecessary. If you’re in the business of winning over audiences, transparency is crucial.