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One might speculate whether the Australian cricket board deliberately prefers to be unclear about team selection 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 unchanged squad would not be much news, but this time it is, due to the possible movement involving both key players, none of which has come to pass.

Cummins is the surprise for his omission, with the regular captain and fast-bowling leader deep into his recovery from initial symptoms of a back injury. The sole official statement was a cursory line with the team announcement stating that Cummins is scheduled to go to Brisbane to further his training.”

Insider reports support the view that everything is on track and his healing is proceeding well, with a probable return to the side soon. Theoretically, Cummins could even join the Brisbane squad in the next few days if deemed fit by staff. However, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Going back to when his medical tests came back positive in last month, initiating the countdown on his buildup to match fitness, all public commentary from the player and timelines from CA suggested he would just be unavailable for the first Test and was scheduled to train 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 seen bowling in the New South Wales nets without any apparent limitations and, importantly, was using a pink Kookaburra ball, what one would assume as preparation for the day-night Test.

So, why the change of plans, more than four weeks since he indicated requiring a month to prepare his workload, and with less than a week to go in Brisbane? Additionally, there are over a week’s break between matches. Should he target Adelaide, it will be more than seven weeks since he started training again.

This is acceptable: prognoses can change, doctors may be cautious, athletes might take care. What’s strange is that during the most anticipated and closely followed Test series in Australia’s calendar, the board officials don’t appear to consider it necessary to provide 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 Perth 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 did bat down the order. Even if his symptoms have subsided, the newness of the problem surely leaves some risk that they could return in the heat of the next Test.

With Khawaja in the squad logically means he is due to resume the top order, even though his replacement scored a historic hundred in his place. He wouldn’t be selected as a backup or to play lower. Once more, there is no official information about this, only the squad listing.

It isn’t necessary that teams should have to give a full lineup when picking their squad, and plans can change. But some plans are firmer than others, and given the way Travis Head’s explosive performance drew fan interest, it would cause no issue to confirm where both batsmen are due to bat. Some uncertainty in sports is a positive, but creating it out of the clearly evident is needless. For those aiming of winning over audiences, transparency is crucial.