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One might speculate whether the Australian cricket board deliberately prefers to be unclear about player availability or simply has a deficiency in communications, but once 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.

Normally, an unchanged squad would not attract attention, but on this occasion it is, thanks to the anticipated changes involving both key players, neither of which has come to pass.

The unexpected element is Cummins for not being included, with the team skipper and fast-bowling leader deep into his recovery from initial symptoms 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.”

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

Going back to when his medical tests came back positive in last month, starting the clock on his buildup to match fitness, all official statements from the player and board schedules suggested he would only narrowly miss the initial match and was scheduled to train at nearly full tilt with the squad in Perth. The head coach remarked, “He will be up and bowling in Perth, and people will be sitting there questioning 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, more than four weeks since he indicated requiring a month to prepare his workload, 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 over two months since he started training again.

That in itself is fine: prognoses can change, doctors may be cautious, athletes might take care. 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 necessary to provide any information about the captain’s fitness and availability or the evolving status of either.

And if caution is the watchword with the captain, the reverse is true with Khawaja’s back injury. He had spasms flare up in Perth during two paltry fielding innings, keeping Australia’s usual opener from playing his role in both innings and from having any influence when he did bat down the order. Even if his symptoms have subsided, the newness of the problem 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. He wouldn’t be selected as a backup or to bat down the order. Once more, there is no confirmation about this, just the selection.

It isn’t necessary that sides must reveal a whole XI when picking their squad, and strategies may shift. But some plans are firmer than others, and considering how Head’s whirlwind captured public attention, it would do no harm to confirm where those two players are due to bat. Some uncertainty in life is a positive, but manufacturing it out of the broadly obvious is needless. For those aiming of winning over audiences, transparency is crucial.