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One might speculate whether Cricket Australia intentionally chooses to be opaque about team selection or simply has a deficiency in communications, 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 identical team list would not attract attention, but on this occasion it is, due to the anticipated changes involving Pat Cummins and Usman Khawaja, neither of which has come to pass.

Cummins is the surprise for his omission, with the team skipper and fast-bowling leader progressing in rehabilitation from early signs of a stress fracture. The only public acknowledgment was a cursory line with the squad release 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 probable return to the team in the near future. In theory, Cummins could even join the Test squad in the next few days if he and management so choose. But still, the explanations seem inconsistent.

Going back to when his medical tests came back positive in October, initiating the countdown on his return to play, all public commentary from the bowler himself and timelines from CA indicated he would just be unavailable for the first Test and was scheduled to train at close to full intensity with the team during the match. Coach Andrew McDonald said, “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 state facilities without any visible restrictions and, most notably, was using a pink Kookaburra ball, presumably as preparation for the day-night Test.

What prompted the shift, more than four weeks since Cummins said he would need four weeks to build up bowling loads, and with six days until the first ball in Brisbane? Not to mention, there are over a week’s break between Brisbane and the third Test. Should he target Adelaide, it will be over two months since he started training again.

This is acceptable: prognoses can change, medical staff can be conservative, players can be cautious. What’s strange is that during the most anticipated and closely followed Ashes contest in the season, the board officials seem not to think it reasonable to share updates about the captain’s fitness and availability or the changing nature 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 the first Test during brief periods on the field, keeping Australia’s usual opener from doing so in the match 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 logically means he is due to resume the top order, even though Travis Head made a record-setting century in his place. Khawaja wouldn’t be picked as a backup or to play lower. But again, there is no official information about this, only the squad listing.

This doesn’t mean that teams should have to give a full lineup when picking their squad, and strategies may shift. However, certain decisions are clearer than others, and given the way Travis Head’s explosive performance drew fan interest, it would do no harm to confirm where those two players are due to bat. Some uncertainty in sports is a positive, but manufacturing it out of the clearly evident is unnecessary. For those aiming of engaging fans, transparency is crucial.