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One might speculate whether Cricket Australia deliberately prefers to be opaque about player availability or simply lacks effectiveness in public relations, but yet again, the health status of athletes and final team composition must be deduced from the selection in the larger squad for the Brisbane match.

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, neither of which has now eventuated.

The unexpected element is Cummins for not being included, with the team skipper and fast-bowling leader deep into his recovery from initial symptoms of a stress fracture. The sole official statement was a brief mention with the team announcement stating that Cummins is scheduled to go 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 likely addition to the team in the near future. Theoretically, Cummins could even join the Brisbane squad in the next few days if he and management so choose. But still, the explanations seem inconsistent.

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 just be unavailable for the first Test and was scheduled to train at nearly full tilt with the squad in Perth. Coach Andrew McDonald said, “Cummins will be fit to bowl in Perth, and people will be sitting there questioning why he’s not playing.”

Once Cummins got back 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 using a pink Kookaburra ball, what one would assume as preparation for the day-night Test.

So, why the change of plans, more than four weeks since he indicated requiring a month to prepare bowling loads, and with less than a week to go in the Gabba? Not to mention, there are over a week’s break between Brisbane and the third Test. Should he target Adelaide, it will be over two months since he started training again.

That in itself is fine: prognoses can change, doctors may be cautious, athletes might take care. What’s strange 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 any information about the skipper’s condition or the changing nature of either.

And if caution is the watchword with Cummins, the opposite applies with Khawaja’s back injury. He had spasms flare up in the first Test during two paltry fielding innings, preventing the regular batsman from doing so in the match and from having any influence 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 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, just the selection.

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 drew fan interest, it would do no harm to confirm where both batsmen are due to bat. A bit of mystery in life is a positive, but manufacturing it out of the clearly evident is unnecessary. For those aiming of winning over audiences, transparency is crucial.