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You could wonder whether the Australian cricket board 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 selection in the larger squad for the Brisbane match.

Normally, an unchanged squad would not attract attention, but this time it is, due to the possible movement involving Pat Cummins and Usman Khawaja, neither of which has come to pass.

Cummins is the surprise for his omission, with the regular captain and fast-bowling leader progressing in rehabilitation from early signs of a back injury. The sole official statement was a cursory line with the squad release stating that Cummins is scheduled to go to Brisbane to further his training.”

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. Theoretically, Cummins could even join the Brisbane squad in the next few days if deemed fit by staff. But still, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Recalling when Cummins’ scans were cleared in October, starting the clock on his buildup to match fitness, all official statements from the player and timelines from CA suggested he would only narrowly miss the first Test 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.”

Once Cummins got back to Sydney following the victory in the west, he was seen bowling in the state facilities without any visible restrictions and, importantly, was training with a pink ball, what one would assume as readiness for the Brisbane day-night game.

So, why the change of plans, well over a month since Cummins said he would need four weeks to build up bowling loads, and with less than a week to go in Brisbane? Additionally, there are over a week’s break between matches. If the latter is Cummins’ destination, it will be more than seven weeks since he started training again.

That in itself is fine: medical opinions evolve, doctors may be cautious, athletes might take care. It’s just peculiar 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 updates about the skipper’s condition or the evolving status of either.

If care is the priority 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 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 creates concern that they might recur in the pressure of Brisbane.

His inclusion suggests he is set to return to the top order, even though his replacement scored a historic hundred in Perth. He wouldn’t be selected as a backup or to bat down the order. But again, there is no confirmation about this, only the squad listing.

This doesn’t mean that teams should have to give a whole XI when announcing selections, and strategies may shift. However, certain decisions are clearer than others, and given the way Head’s whirlwind drew fan interest, it would cause no issue to confirm where those two players are due to bat. Some uncertainty in sports is a positive, but creating it out of the clearly evident is unnecessary. If you’re in the business of winning over audiences, communication goes a long way.