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You could wonder whether the Australian cricket board deliberately prefers to be unclear about player availability or simply has a deficiency in communications, but yet again, the fitness of players and final team composition must be inferred from the selection in the larger squad for the second Ashes Test.

Normally, an identical team list would not attract attention, but this time it is, due to the anticipated changes involving Pat Cummins and Usman Khawaja, neither of which has now eventuated.

The unexpected element is Cummins for not being included, with the regular captain and pace spearhead progressing in rehabilitation from initial symptoms of a stress fracture. The sole official statement was a brief mention with the team announcement stating that “Pat Cummins will travel to Brisbane to further his training.”

Insider reports support the view that this is all situation normal and his recovery remains happily on track, with a likely addition to the side soon. In theory, Cummins could even join the Brisbane squad in the next few days if he and management so choose. However, the explanations seem inconsistent.

Going back to when Cummins’ scans were cleared in October, starting the clock on his buildup to match fitness, all public commentary from the player and board schedules suggested he would only narrowly miss the first Test and was scheduled to train at nearly full tilt with the team during the match. 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 state facilities without any apparent limitations and, most notably, was using a pink Kookaburra 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 a month to prepare his workload, and with less than a week to go in the Gabba? Not to mention, there are over a week’s break between matches. If the latter is Cummins’ destination, it will be over two months since he started training again.

This is acceptable: medical opinions evolve, doctors may be cautious, players can be cautious. 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 reasonable to share any information about the skipper’s condition or the evolving status of either.

If care is the priority with the captain, the reverse is true with the opener’s issue. He had muscle spasms in the first Test 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 newness of the problem creates concern that they might recur in the heat of the next Test.

His inclusion logically means he is due to resume the top order, even though his replacement scored a historic hundred in Perth. Khawaja wouldn’t be picked as a reserve or to bat down the order. But again, there is no confirmation about this, just the selection.

This doesn’t mean that sides must reveal a full lineup when picking their squad, and strategies may shift. But some plans are firmer than others, and considering how Head’s whirlwind captured public attention, it would cause no issue to clarify where both batsmen are slotted to play. A bit of mystery in life is a good thing, but manufacturing it out of the clearly evident is unnecessary. For those aiming of engaging fans, communication goes a long way.