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One might speculate whether the Australian cricket board deliberately prefers to be opaque about team selection or simply lacks effectiveness in public relations, but once again, the health status of athletes and final team composition must be inferred from the 14-player squad announcement for the second Ashes Test.

Normally, an unchanged squad would not be much news, but this time it is, due to the possible movement involving both key players, neither of which has come to pass.

The unexpected element is Cummins for his omission, with the regular captain and fast-bowling leader progressing in rehabilitation from initial symptoms of a back injury. The only public acknowledgment was a brief mention with the team announcement stating that “Pat Cummins will travel to Brisbane to continue his preparations.”

Suggestions from within CA indicate that this is all situation normal and his recovery remains happily on track, with a likely addition to the side soon. Theoretically, he might still be added to the Brisbane squad in coming days if he and management so choose. However, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Going back to when his medical tests came back positive in last month, starting the clock on his buildup to match fitness, all official statements from the bowler himself and board schedules indicated he would just be unavailable for the initial match and was scheduled to train at close to full intensity with the team during the match. The head coach remarked, “He will be up and bowling 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, most notably, was using a pink Kookaburra ball, what one would assume as preparation for the day-night Test.

What prompted the shift, well over a month since he indicated requiring a month to prepare his workload, and with six days until the first ball in the Gabba? Additionally, there are eight more days of rest between Brisbane and the third Test. If the latter is Cummins’ destination, it will be more than seven weeks since he resumed bowling.

That in itself is fine: prognoses can change, medical staff can be conservative, athletes might take care. What’s strange is that during the high-profile Ashes contest in Australia’s calendar, the governing body’s representatives seem not to think it reasonable to share updates about the skipper’s condition or the evolving status of either.

If care is the priority with the captain, the reverse is true with the opener’s issue. He had muscle spasms in the first Test during brief periods on the field, 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 fact he’d not experienced them before surely leaves some risk that they might recur in the heat of the next Test.

His inclusion suggests he is set to return to the top order, even though his replacement scored a historic hundred in his place. He wouldn’t be selected as a reserve or to bat down the order. Once more, there is no official information about this, just the selection.

This doesn’t mean that teams should have to give a whole XI when picking their squad, and plans can change. But some plans are firmer than others, and given the way Head’s whirlwind captured public attention, it would cause no issue to confirm where those two players are due to bat. A bit of mystery in life is a good thing, but manufacturing it out of the clearly evident is needless. For those aiming of winning over audiences, communication goes a long way.