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

Typically, an unchanged squad would not attract attention, but this time it is, due to the possible movement involving both key players, none of which has come to pass.

The unexpected element is Cummins for his omission, with the team skipper and pace spearhead deep into his recovery from early signs of a back injury. The only public acknowledgment was a brief mention with the team announcement stating that “Pat Cummins will travel to Brisbane to continue his preparations.”

Suggestions from within CA indicate that this is all situation normal and his recovery remains happily on track, with a likely addition to the team in the near future. Theoretically, he might still be added to the Brisbane squad in the next few days if deemed fit by staff. But still, the explanations seem inconsistent.

Recalling when his medical tests came back positive in last month, initiating the countdown on his return to play, all official statements from the player and timelines from CA suggested he would just be unavailable for the first Test and was scheduled to train at nearly full tilt with the team during the match. Coach Andrew McDonald said, “He will be up and bowling in Perth, and people will be sitting there questioning why he’s not playing.”

After returning to Sydney following the victory in the west, he was observed practicing in the state facilities without any visible restrictions and, most notably, was training with a pink ball, what one would assume as readiness for the Brisbane day-night game.

So, why the change of plans, more than four weeks since Cummins said he would need four weeks to build up his workload, and with six days until the first ball in Brisbane? Additionally, there are over a week’s break between matches. Should he target Adelaide, it will be over two months since he started training again.

This is acceptable: medical opinions evolve, medical staff can be conservative, players can be cautious. What’s strange is that during the most anticipated and closely followed Test series in the season, the board officials don’t appear to consider it necessary to provide updates about the captain’s fitness and availability or the evolving status of either.

If care is the priority with the captain, the opposite applies with Khawaja’s back injury. He had muscle spasms in the first Test during two paltry fielding innings, preventing the regular batsman from playing his role in both innings and from making an impact when he eventually batted. Even if his symptoms have subsided, the fact he’d not experienced them before creates concern that they might recur in the heat of the next Test.

With Khawaja in the squad logically means he is set to return to the top order, even though his replacement scored a historic hundred in Perth. Khawaja wouldn’t be picked as a reserve or to play lower. Once more, there is no official information about this, just the selection.

This doesn’t mean that teams should have to give a full lineup when announcing selections, and strategies may shift. However, certain decisions are clearer than others, and considering how Head’s whirlwind captured public attention, it would do no harm to clarify where both batsmen are slotted to play. Some uncertainty in life is a good thing, but manufacturing it out of the clearly evident is unnecessary. For those aiming of winning over audiences, communication goes a long way.