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One might speculate whether the Australian cricket board deliberately prefers to be opaque about team selection or simply has a deficiency in communications, but once again, the fitness of players and the makeup of the XI must be inferred from the 14-player squad announcement for the second Ashes Test.

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 come to pass.

Cummins is the surprise for his omission, with the regular captain and fast-bowling leader deep into his recovery from initial symptoms of a back injury. The only public acknowledgment was a brief mention with the squad release stating that Cummins is scheduled to go to Brisbane to further his training.”

Insider reports 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. In theory, he might still be added to the Brisbane squad in coming days if deemed fit by staff. However, the explanations seem inconsistent.

Recalling when Cummins’ scans were cleared in October, starting the clock on his buildup to match fitness, all official statements from the player and board schedules suggested he would only narrowly miss the initial match and was scheduled to train at close to full intensity with the squad in Perth. 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 Sydney following the team’s raucous two-day win, he was seen bowling in the New South Wales nets without any visible restrictions and, importantly, was training with a pink ball, presumably as preparation for the day-night Test.

What prompted the shift, well over a month since he indicated requiring a month to prepare bowling loads, and with six days until the first ball in the Gabba? Not to mention, there are eight more days of rest 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: prognoses can change, medical staff can be conservative, players can be cautious. What’s strange is that during the most anticipated and closely followed Ashes contest in Australia’s calendar, the board officials seem not to think it reasonable to share any information about the skipper’s condition or the changing nature of either.

And if caution is the watchword with the captain, the opposite applies with the opener’s issue. He had spasms flare up in the first Test during brief periods on the field, keeping Australia’s usual opener from playing his role in both innings and from having any influence when he did bat down the order. Even if his symptoms have subsided, the newness of the problem surely leaves some risk that they could return in the pressure of Brisbane.

His inclusion suggests he is due to resume the top order, even though Travis Head made a record-setting century in Perth. He wouldn’t be selected as a reserve or to play lower. But again, there is no official information about this, just the selection.

This doesn’t mean that sides must reveal a full lineup when picking their squad, and plans can change. But some plans are firmer than others, and given the way Travis Head’s explosive performance captured public attention, it would do no harm to confirm where both batsmen are slotted to play. A bit of mystery in sports is a positive, but manufacturing it out of the broadly obvious is unnecessary. If you’re in the business of winning over audiences, communication goes a long way.