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You could wonder whether Cricket Australia intentionally chooses to be opaque about player availability or simply has a deficiency in public relations, but yet again, the fitness of players and the makeup of the XI must be inferred from the 14-player squad announcement for the Brisbane match.

Typically, an unchanged squad would not be much news, but this time it is, due to the anticipated changes involving Pat Cummins and Usman Khawaja, neither of which has now eventuated.

Cummins is the surprise for not being included, with the regular captain and fast-bowling leader deep into his recovery from initial symptoms of a stress fracture. The sole official statement was a brief mention with the team announcement stating that “Pat Cummins will travel to Brisbane to continue his preparations.”

Suggestions from within CA support the view that this is all situation normal 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. But still, the explanations seem inconsistent.

Recalling when Cummins’ scans were cleared in October, starting the clock on his return to play, all public commentary from the player and board schedules indicated he would only narrowly miss the first Test and was scheduled to train at nearly full tilt with the team during the match. The head coach remarked, “Cummins will be fit to bowl in Perth, and fans will wonder why he’s not playing.”

After returning to Sydney following the victory in the west, 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.

So, why the change of plans, more than four weeks since Cummins said he would need four weeks to build up bowling loads, and with less than a week to go in Brisbane? Additionally, there are eight more days of rest between matches. Should he target Adelaide, it will be over two months since he resumed bowling.

That in itself is fine: prognoses can change, doctors may be cautious, players can be cautious. 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 updates about the captain’s fitness and availability or the changing nature of either.

If care is the priority with Cummins, 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 doing so in both innings and from having any influence 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 pressure of Brisbane.

With Khawaja in the squad logically means he is set to return to the top order, even though his replacement scored a historic hundred in his place. Khawaja wouldn’t be picked as a reserve or to play lower. But again, there is no official information about this, only the squad listing.

This doesn’t mean that sides must reveal a whole XI when picking their squad, and plans can change. But some plans are firmer than others, and given the way Travis Head’s explosive performance drew fan interest, it would do no harm to confirm where those two players are slotted to play. A bit of mystery in life is a positive, but creating it out of the clearly evident is needless. If you’re in the business of winning over audiences, communication goes a long way.