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One might speculate whether the Australian cricket board deliberately prefers to be opaque about player availability or simply lacks effectiveness in public relations, but once again, the fitness of players and final team composition must be deduced from the 14-player squad announcement for the second Ashes Test.

Normally, an identical team list would not be much news, but this time it is, due to the anticipated changes involving both key players, neither of which has now eventuated.

The unexpected element is Cummins for his omission, 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 squad release stating that “Pat Cummins will travel to Brisbane to further his training.”

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 team in the near future. In theory, he might still be added to the Brisbane squad in the next few days if deemed fit by staff. However, the explanations seem inconsistent.

Recalling when his medical tests came back positive in last month, initiating the countdown on his return to play, all official statements from the player and board schedules suggested he would only narrowly miss the initial match and was set to practice at close to full intensity with the squad in Perth. Coach Andrew McDonald said, “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 Sydney following the team’s raucous two-day win, he was seen bowling in the New South Wales nets without any visible restrictions and, importantly, was using a pink Kookaburra ball, presumably as preparation for the day-night Test.

So, why the change of plans, well over a month since he indicated requiring a month to prepare his workload, 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: medical opinions evolve, medical staff can be conservative, athletes might take care. It’s just peculiar 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 evolving status of either.

If care is the priority with Cummins, the reverse is true with the opener’s issue. He had muscle spasms in the first Test during brief periods on the field, keeping Australia’s usual opener from playing his role in the match and from making an impact when he eventually batted. Even if his symptoms have subsided, the fact he’d not experienced them before surely leaves some risk that they might recur in the pressure of Brisbane.

His inclusion logically means he is due to resume opening the batting, even though his replacement scored a historic hundred in his place. He wouldn’t be selected as a backup or to bat down the order. But again, there is no confirmation about this, only the squad listing.

This doesn’t mean that sides must reveal 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 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 positive, but manufacturing it out of the clearly evident is needless. For those aiming of winning over audiences, communication goes a long way.