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You could wonder whether Cricket Australia deliberately prefers to be unclear about player availability or simply lacks effectiveness in communications, but once again, the health status of athletes and final team composition must be deduced from the 14-player squad announcement for the Brisbane match.

Normally, an identical team list would not be much news, but on this occasion it is, due to the anticipated changes involving both key players, neither of which has now eventuated.

Cummins is the surprise for his omission, with the team skipper and fast-bowling leader deep into his recovery from initial symptoms of a back injury. The only public acknowledgment was a cursory line with the squad release stating that Cummins is scheduled to go to Brisbane to continue his preparations.”

Insider reports support the view that everything is on track and his recovery remains happily on track, with a likely addition to the side soon. In theory, he might still be added to the Brisbane squad in the next few days if he and management so choose. But still, the explanations seem inconsistent.

Recalling when Cummins’ scans were cleared in October, initiating the countdown on his return to play, all public commentary from the player and board schedules suggested he would only narrowly miss the initial match and was set to practice at nearly full tilt 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 his home city following the team’s raucous two-day win, he was observed practicing in the state facilities without any visible restrictions and, importantly, was using a pink Kookaburra ball, presumably as preparation for the day-night Test.

So, why the change of plans, well over a month since he indicated requiring four weeks to build up bowling loads, and with six days until the first ball in Brisbane? Not to mention, there are eight more days of rest between Brisbane and the third Test. Should he target Adelaide, it will be more than seven weeks since he resumed bowling.

That in itself is fine: 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 the season, the board officials seem not to think it necessary to provide any information about the skipper’s condition or the changing nature 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 doing so in both innings and from having any influence when he did bat down the order. Even if his symptoms have subsided, the fact he’d not experienced them before creates concern that they could return 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 his place. Khawaja wouldn’t be picked as a backup or to bat down the order. But again, there is no confirmation about this, only the squad listing.

It isn’t necessary that sides must reveal a full lineup when picking their squad, and plans can change. However, certain decisions are clearer than others, and given the way Travis Head’s explosive performance captured public attention, it would do no harm to clarify where both batsmen are slotted to play. A bit of mystery in life is a good thing, but creating it out of the broadly obvious is needless. For those aiming of winning over audiences, communication goes a long way.