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One might speculate whether the Australian cricket board intentionally chooses to be unclear about player availability or simply has a deficiency in public relations, but yet 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.

Typically, an identical team list would not attract attention, but this time it is, thanks to the possible movement involving Pat Cummins and Usman Khawaja, none of which has now eventuated.

The unexpected element is Cummins for not being included, with the team skipper and pace spearhead deep into his recovery from initial symptoms of a stress fracture. The sole official statement 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 this is all situation normal 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 the next few days if deemed fit by staff. But still, the explanations seem inconsistent.

Recalling when Cummins’ scans were cleared in last month, starting the clock on his buildup to match fitness, all official statements from the bowler himself and board schedules suggested he would just be unavailable for the first Test and was set to practice at close to full intensity 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.”

Once Cummins got back to his home city following the victory in the west, he was observed practicing in the New South Wales nets without any apparent limitations and, most notably, was training with a pink ball, presumably as preparation for the day-night Test.

What prompted the shift, well over a month since Cummins said he would need four weeks to build up bowling loads, and with less than a week to go in the Gabba? Additionally, there are eight more days of rest between matches. Should he target Adelaide, it will be more than seven weeks since he started training again.

That in itself is fine: prognoses can change, medical staff can be conservative, players can be cautious. It’s just peculiar 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 the captain, the reverse is true with the opener’s issue. He had spasms flare up in the first Test during two paltry fielding innings, keeping Australia’s usual opener from playing his role in both innings and from having any influence when he eventually batted. Even if his symptoms have subsided, the newness of the problem surely leaves some risk that they could return in the pressure of Brisbane.

With Khawaja in the squad suggests he is set to return to the top order, even though Travis Head made a record-setting century in his place. He wouldn’t be selected as a reserve or to bat down the order. But again, there is no official information about this, only the squad listing.

It isn’t necessary that teams should have to give a whole XI when announcing selections, and strategies may shift. But some plans are firmer than others, and considering how Travis Head’s explosive performance drew fan interest, it would cause no issue to clarify where those two players are due to bat. Some uncertainty in life is a positive, but manufacturing it out of the clearly evident is needless. If you’re in the business of winning over audiences, communication goes a long way.