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One might speculate whether Cricket Australia deliberately prefers to be opaque about team selection or simply has a deficiency in communications, but once again, the health status of athletes and the makeup of the XI must be inferred from the selection in the larger squad for the Brisbane match.

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, none of which has come to pass.

Cummins is the surprise for not being included, with the regular captain and pace spearhead progressing in rehabilitation from early signs of a back injury. The only public acknowledgment was a cursory line with the squad release stating that “Pat Cummins will travel to Brisbane to further his training.”

Insider reports indicate 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 coming days if he and management so choose. However, the explanations seem inconsistent.

Recalling when Cummins’ scans were cleared in last month, starting the clock on his return to play, all official statements from the player and timelines from CA indicated he would just be unavailable for the initial match and was scheduled to train at nearly full tilt 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 Sydney following the victory in the west, he was observed practicing in the state facilities without any apparent limitations and, importantly, was training with a pink ball, what one would assume as preparation for the day-night Test.

So, why the change of plans, well over a month since he indicated requiring a month to prepare bowling loads, and with less than a week to go in Brisbane? Not to mention, 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.

This is acceptable: medical opinions evolve, doctors may be cautious, players can be cautious. What’s strange is that during the high-profile Test series in Australia’s calendar, the governing body’s representatives don’t appear to consider it reasonable to share any information about the captain’s fitness and availability or the evolving status of either.

If care is the priority with the captain, the opposite applies with the opener’s issue. He had spasms flare up in the first Test during two paltry fielding innings, keeping Australia’s usual opener from doing so 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 surely leaves some risk that they could return in the pressure of Brisbane.

His inclusion suggests he is due to resume opening the batting, even though Travis Head made a record-setting century in Perth. He wouldn’t be selected as a backup or to play lower. But again, there is no confirmation about this, only the squad listing.

This doesn’t mean that teams should have to give a full lineup when announcing selections, and strategies may shift. However, certain decisions are clearer than others, and considering how Travis Head’s explosive performance drew fan interest, it would cause no issue to clarify where both batsmen are due to bat. A bit of mystery in sports is a positive, but creating it out of the clearly evident is unnecessary. If you’re in the business of engaging fans, communication goes a long way.