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One might speculate whether Cricket Australia deliberately prefers to be unclear 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 deduced from the selection in the larger squad for the Brisbane match.

Typically, an unchanged squad would not be much news, but on this occasion it is, thanks to the possible movement involving both key players, none of which has come to pass.

Cummins is the surprise for his omission, with the regular captain 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 everything is on track and his healing is proceeding well, with a probable return to the side soon. Theoretically, he might still be added to the Test squad in the next few days if deemed fit by staff. However, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Going back to when Cummins’ scans were cleared in October, initiating the countdown on his buildup to match fitness, all public commentary from the bowler himself and timelines from CA suggested he would just be unavailable for the first Test and was scheduled to train at nearly full tilt with the squad in Perth. The head coach remarked, “He will be up and bowling in Perth, and fans will wonder why he’s not playing.”

Once Cummins got back to Sydney following the team’s raucous two-day win, he was seen bowling in the state facilities without any visible restrictions and, most notably, was training with a pink ball, presumably as readiness for the Brisbane day-night game.

What prompted the shift, well over a month since Cummins said he would need 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 resumed bowling.

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 Test series in Australia’s calendar, the governing body’s representatives seem not to think it necessary to provide any information about the skipper’s condition or the evolving status of either.

If care is the priority with Cummins, the opposite applies with the opener’s issue. He had muscle spasms in Perth during brief periods on the field, keeping Australia’s usual opener from playing his role in the match and from making an impact when he eventually batted. Though he may have improved, the fact he’d not experienced them before creates concern that they could return in the heat of the next Test.

His inclusion suggests he is set to return to opening the batting, even though his replacement scored a historic hundred in Perth. Khawaja wouldn’t be picked as a backup or to bat down the order. Once more, there is no official information about this, only the squad listing.

This doesn’t mean that sides must reveal a full lineup when picking their squad, and strategies may shift. But some plans are firmer than others, and considering how 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 life is a positive, but creating it out of the clearly evident is needless. For those aiming of engaging fans, transparency is crucial.