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You could wonder whether Cricket Australia deliberately prefers to be unclear about team selection or simply has a deficiency in communications, but yet again, the health status of athletes and final team composition must be deduced from the 14-player squad announcement for the second Ashes Test.

Typically, an unchanged squad would not attract attention, but on this occasion it is, thanks to the possible movement involving Pat Cummins and Usman Khawaja, none of which has now eventuated.

Cummins is the surprise for his omission, with the team skipper and pace spearhead deep into his recovery from initial symptoms of a stress fracture. The sole official statement was a cursory line with the squad release stating that “Pat Cummins will travel 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 probable return to the team in the near future. In theory, Cummins could even join the Test squad in coming days if deemed fit by staff. But still, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Recalling when his medical tests came back positive in October, initiating the countdown on his buildup to match fitness, all official statements from the player and board schedules indicated he would only narrowly miss the initial match and was set to practice at nearly full tilt 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.”

After returning to his home city following the team’s raucous two-day win, he was seen bowling in the New South Wales nets without any apparent limitations 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 a month to prepare bowling loads, and with less than a week to go in Brisbane? Not to mention, there are eight more days of rest between Brisbane and the third Test. If the latter is Cummins’ destination, it will be over two months since he resumed bowling.

This is acceptable: prognoses can change, medical staff can be conservative, athletes might take care. What’s strange is that during the high-profile Ashes contest in Australia’s calendar, the board officials seem not to think it necessary to provide updates about the skipper’s condition or the evolving status of either.

If care is the priority with Cummins, the reverse is true with the opener’s issue. He had spasms flare up in the first Test during two paltry fielding innings, preventing the regular batsman from playing his role in the match and from having any influence when he eventually batted. Even if his symptoms have subsided, the fact he’d not experienced them before surely leaves some risk that they might recur in the heat of the next Test.

His inclusion logically means he is set to return to opening the batting, even though Travis Head made a record-setting century in his place. Khawaja wouldn’t be picked as a reserve or to play lower. But again, there is no confirmation about this, only the squad listing.

It isn’t necessary that sides must reveal a whole XI when picking their squad, and plans can change. But some plans are firmer than others, and given the way Head’s whirlwind captured public attention, it would cause no issue to confirm where those two players are slotted to play. A bit of mystery in life is a positive, but creating it out of the broadly obvious is needless. If you’re in the business of engaging fans, communication goes a long way.