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You could wonder whether the Australian cricket board deliberately prefers to be opaque about team selection or simply has a deficiency in communications, but yet again, the fitness of players and the makeup of the XI must be inferred from the selection in the larger squad for the second Ashes Test.

Typically, an identical team list would not be much news, but on this occasion it is, due to the anticipated changes involving both key players, none of which has come to pass.

The unexpected element is Cummins for his omission, with the team skipper and pace spearhead progressing in rehabilitation from early signs of a back injury. The only public acknowledgment was a brief mention with the team announcement stating that Cummins is scheduled to go to Brisbane to further his training.”

Suggestions from within CA indicate that everything is on track and his recovery remains happily on track, with a probable return to the side soon. In theory, Cummins could even join the Brisbane squad in coming days if he and management so choose. However, the explanations seem inconsistent.

Going back to when his medical tests came back positive in last month, starting the clock on his return to play, all official statements from the player and board schedules indicated he would just be unavailable for the first Test and was set to practice at close to full intensity with the team during the match. The head coach remarked, “Cummins will be fit to bowl in Perth, and people will be sitting there questioning why he’s not playing.”

Once Cummins got back to Sydney following the team’s raucous two-day win, 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 preparation for the day-night Test.

So, why the change of plans, more than four weeks since he indicated requiring four weeks to build up bowling loads, and with less than a week to go in the Gabba? Not to mention, there are over a week’s break between matches. If the latter is Cummins’ destination, it will be more than seven weeks since he started training again.

This is acceptable: medical opinions evolve, medical staff can be conservative, players can be cautious. It’s just peculiar is that during the high-profile Test series in Australia’s calendar, the board officials don’t appear to consider it reasonable to share 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, preventing the regular batsman from playing his role in the match and from making an impact when he did bat down the order. Even if his symptoms have subsided, the newness of the problem creates concern that they might recur in the pressure of Brisbane.

With Khawaja in the squad suggests he is due to resume the top order, even though his replacement scored a historic hundred in Perth. He wouldn’t be selected as a backup or to play lower. But again, there is no confirmation about this, just the selection.

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 slotted to play. A bit of mystery in life is a positive, but manufacturing it out of the broadly obvious is needless. If you’re in the business of winning over audiences, communication goes a long way.