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You could wonder whether Cricket Australia deliberately prefers to be unclear about player availability or simply lacks effectiveness in public relations, but yet again, the health status of athletes 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 be much news, but on this occasion it is, thanks to the anticipated changes involving Pat Cummins and Usman Khawaja, none of which has now eventuated.

The unexpected element is Cummins for not being included, with the team skipper and pace spearhead deep into his recovery from early signs of a back injury. The only public acknowledgment was a cursory line with the team announcement stating that Cummins is scheduled to go to Brisbane to further his training.”

Suggestions from within CA support the view that this is all situation normal and his healing is proceeding well, with a likely addition to the side soon. Theoretically, Cummins could even join the Brisbane squad in the next few days if he and management so choose. However, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Recalling when his medical tests came back positive in October, starting the clock on his return to play, all official statements 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.”

After returning to his home city following the team’s raucous two-day win, he was observed practicing in the state facilities without any apparent limitations and, most notably, was training with a pink ball, what one would assume as preparation for the day-night Test.

So, why the change of plans, well over a month since Cummins said he would need a month to prepare bowling loads, and with less than a week to go in the Gabba? 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 started training again.

This is acceptable: medical opinions evolve, medical staff can be conservative, athletes might take care. It’s just peculiar is that during the most anticipated and closely followed Ashes contest in the season, the board officials don’t appear to consider it reasonable to share updates about the skipper’s condition or the evolving status of either.

If care is the priority with Cummins, 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 both innings and from making an impact when he eventually batted. 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 set to return to opening the batting, even though his replacement scored a historic hundred in Perth. He wouldn’t be selected as a reserve or to play lower. But again, there is no official information about this, only the squad listing.

This doesn’t mean that teams should have to give a full lineup when picking their squad, and plans can change. However, certain decisions are clearer than others, and considering how Head’s whirlwind captured public attention, it would do no harm to clarify where those two players are slotted to play. Some uncertainty in life is a good thing, but creating it out of the broadly obvious is needless. If you’re in the business of winning over audiences, communication goes a long way.