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You could wonder whether Cricket Australia intentionally chooses to be opaque about player availability or simply has a deficiency in communications, but yet 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 on this occasion it is, due to the possible movement involving Pat Cummins and Usman Khawaja, neither of which has come to pass.

Cummins is the surprise for not being included, with the regular captain 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 Cummins is scheduled to go to Brisbane to continue his preparations.”

Suggestions from within CA support the view that this is all situation normal and his healing is proceeding well, with a likely addition to the side soon. Theoretically, Cummins could even join the Brisbane squad in coming days if deemed fit by staff. However, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Recalling when his medical tests came back positive in October, starting the clock on his buildup to match fitness, all official statements from the bowler himself and board schedules indicated he would just be unavailable for the initial match and was scheduled to train 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.”

After returning 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 training with a pink ball, what one would assume as readiness for the Brisbane day-night game.

So, why the change of plans, more than four weeks since he indicated requiring four weeks to build up bowling loads, and with six days until the first ball in the Gabba? Not to mention, there are over a week’s break between Brisbane and the third Test. 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, players can be cautious. What’s strange is that during the high-profile Ashes contest 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 changing nature of either.

If care is the priority with the captain, the opposite applies with Khawaja’s back injury. He had spasms flare up in Perth during two paltry fielding innings, preventing the regular batsman from doing so in both innings and from having any influence when he did bat down the order. Even if his symptoms have subsided, the fact he’d not experienced them before creates concern that they could return in the heat of the next Test.

His inclusion logically means he is set to return to the top order, even though Travis Head made a record-setting century in his place. Khawaja wouldn’t be picked as a reserve or to bat down the order. Once more, there is no official information about this, only the squad listing.

This doesn’t mean that sides must reveal a whole XI when announcing selections, and strategies may shift. However, certain decisions are clearer than others, and given the way 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 unnecessary. If you’re in the business of engaging fans, communication goes a long way.