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You could wonder whether Cricket Australia deliberately prefers to be opaque about team selection or simply has a deficiency in communications, but yet again, the fitness of players and final team composition must be deduced from the selection in the larger squad for the second Ashes Test.

Normally, an identical team list would not attract attention, but on this occasion it is, thanks to the possible movement involving both key players, neither of which has now eventuated.

Cummins is the surprise for his omission, with the team skipper and fast-bowling leader deep into his recovery from early signs of a back injury. The only public acknowledgment was a brief mention with the team announcement stating that Cummins is scheduled to go to Brisbane to continue his preparations.”

Insider reports indicate that everything is on track and his recovery remains happily on track, with a likely addition to the team in the near future. In theory, Cummins could even join the Test squad in the next few days if he and management so choose. But still, the explanations seem inconsistent.

Going back to when Cummins’ scans were cleared in last month, starting the clock on his buildup to match fitness, all official statements from the player and board schedules indicated he would only narrowly miss the initial match and was scheduled to train 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 his home city following the team’s raucous two-day win, he was observed practicing in the New South Wales nets without any apparent limitations and, most notably, was using a pink Kookaburra ball, what one would assume as readiness for the Brisbane day-night game.

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 Brisbane? Additionally, there are eight more days of rest between Brisbane and the third Test. If the latter is Cummins’ destination, it will be over two months since he resumed bowling.

That in itself is fine: medical opinions evolve, doctors may be cautious, players can be cautious. What’s strange is that during the high-profile Ashes contest 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 changing nature of either.

If care is the priority with Cummins, the reverse is true with Khawaja’s back injury. He had spasms flare up in the first Test during brief periods on the field, preventing the regular batsman from doing so in both innings and from making an impact 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 heat of the next Test.

His inclusion logically means 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 reserve or to bat down the order. But again, there is no official information about this, just the selection.

It isn’t necessary that teams should have to give a full lineup 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 do no harm to confirm where those two players are slotted to play. A bit of mystery in life is a good thing, but manufacturing it out of the clearly evident is needless. If you’re in the business of engaging fans, transparency is crucial.