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You could wonder whether Cricket Australia deliberately prefers to be opaque about team selection or simply has a deficiency in public relations, 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 identical team list 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.

Cummins is the surprise for his omission, with the regular captain and fast-bowling leader progressing in rehabilitation from initial symptoms of a back injury. The only public acknowledgment was a cursory line with the team announcement stating that Cummins is scheduled to go to Brisbane to further his training.”

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. In theory, Cummins could even join the Brisbane squad in coming days if deemed fit by staff. However, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Going back to when Cummins’ scans were cleared in last month, starting the clock on his return to play, all official statements from the bowler himself and timelines from CA suggested he would only narrowly miss the first Test and was scheduled to train at nearly full tilt with the team during the match. Coach Andrew McDonald said, “Cummins will be fit to bowl in Perth, and fans will wonder why he’s not playing.”

After returning to his home city following the victory in the west, he was observed practicing in the state facilities without any visible restrictions and, importantly, was using a pink Kookaburra ball, presumably as preparation for the day-night Test.

What prompted the shift, well over a month since he indicated requiring a month to prepare his workload, and with six days until the first ball in Brisbane? Additionally, there are eight more days of rest between matches. If the latter is Cummins’ destination, it will be over two months since he resumed bowling.

That in itself is fine: prognoses can change, doctors may be cautious, players can be cautious. It’s just peculiar is that during the most anticipated and closely followed Test series in Australia’s calendar, the board officials don’t appear to consider it reasonable to share any information about the captain’s fitness and availability or the changing nature of either.

If care is the priority with Cummins, the reverse is true with the opener’s issue. He had muscle spasms in Perth during brief periods on the field, preventing the regular batsman from doing so in the match and from having any influence when he did bat down the order. Though he may have improved, the newness of the problem creates concern that they might recur in the heat of the next Test.

His inclusion suggests he is set to return to the top order, even though his replacement scored a historic hundred 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 sides must reveal a full lineup when picking their squad, and plans can change. But some plans are firmer than others, and considering how Travis Head’s explosive performance captured public attention, it would cause no issue to clarify where those two players are slotted to play. Some uncertainty in sports is a good thing, but manufacturing it out of the clearly evident is unnecessary. For those aiming of engaging fans, transparency is crucial.