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One might speculate whether the Australian cricket board intentionally chooses to be unclear about team selection or simply has a deficiency in public relations, but once again, the fitness of players and the makeup of the XI must be deduced from the 14-player squad announcement for the Brisbane match.

Typically, an unchanged squad would not be much news, but this time it is, thanks to the anticipated changes involving Pat Cummins and Usman Khawaja, neither of which has come to pass.

The unexpected element is Cummins for not being included, with the regular captain and fast-bowling leader progressing in rehabilitation from initial symptoms of a stress fracture. The only public acknowledgment 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 everything is on track and his healing is proceeding well, with a likely addition to the team in the near future. 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.

Recalling when Cummins’ scans were cleared in last month, starting the clock on his return to play, all public commentary from the bowler himself and timelines from CA suggested he would only narrowly miss the initial match and was scheduled to train at close to full intensity 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 Sydney following the team’s raucous two-day win, he was seen bowling in the New South Wales nets without any visible restrictions and, most notably, was training with a pink ball, presumably as readiness for the Brisbane day-night game.

What prompted the shift, well over a month since he indicated requiring four weeks to build up his workload, 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. If the latter is Cummins’ destination, it will be more than seven weeks since he resumed bowling.

This is acceptable: 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 governing body’s representatives don’t appear to consider it necessary to provide updates about the skipper’s condition or the evolving status of either.

If care is the priority with the captain, the opposite applies with the opener’s issue. He had muscle spasms in Perth during brief periods on the field, preventing the regular batsman from playing his role in both innings and from having any influence when he eventually batted. Though he may have improved, the fact he’d not experienced them before surely leaves some risk that they could return in the heat of the next Test.

With Khawaja in the squad suggests he is due to resume opening the batting, even though Travis Head made a record-setting century in Perth. Khawaja wouldn’t be picked as a reserve or to play lower. But again, there is no official information about this, only the squad listing.

It isn’t necessary that sides must reveal a full lineup when announcing selections, and strategies may shift. However, certain decisions are clearer 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 slotted to play. Some uncertainty in sports is a good thing, but manufacturing it out of the broadly obvious is needless. For those aiming of engaging fans, transparency is crucial.