🔗 Share this article

You could wonder whether Cricket Australia deliberately prefers to be unclear about player availability or simply lacks effectiveness in public relations, but once again, the fitness of players and the makeup of the XI must be deduced 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 possible movement involving both key players, none of which has come to pass.

The unexpected element is Cummins for his omission, with the regular captain and pace spearhead deep into his recovery from initial symptoms of a back injury. The sole official statement was a cursory line with the squad release stating that “Pat Cummins will travel to Brisbane to further his training.”

Insider reports support the view that this is all situation normal and his recovery remains happily on track, with a likely addition to the team in the near future. Theoretically, Cummins could even join the Test squad in coming days if deemed fit by staff. However, the explanations seem inconsistent.

Recalling when his medical tests came back positive in October, starting the clock on his return to play, all public commentary from the player 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 team during the match. Coach Andrew McDonald said, “He will be up and bowling in Perth, and people will be sitting there questioning why he’s not playing.”

After returning to Sydney 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, more than four weeks since he indicated requiring a month to prepare his workload, and with less than a week to go in the Gabba? Not to mention, there are eight more days of rest between Brisbane and the third Test. Should he target Adelaide, it will be over two months since he started training again.

That in itself is fine: prognoses can change, doctors may be cautious, athletes might take care. It’s just peculiar is that during the high-profile Ashes contest in Australia’s calendar, the board officials seem not to think it reasonable to share any information about the captain’s fitness and availability or the changing nature of either.

And if caution is the watchword with the captain, the opposite applies with Khawaja’s back injury. He had muscle spasms in the first Test during two paltry fielding innings, keeping Australia’s usual opener from playing his role in the match and from making an impact when he did bat down the order. Though he may have improved, the newness of the problem surely leaves some risk that they could return in the pressure of Brisbane.

His inclusion suggests he is due to resume the top order, even though his replacement scored a historic hundred in Perth. He wouldn’t be selected as a backup or to bat down the order. Once more, there is no confirmation about this, just the selection.

It isn’t necessary that teams should have to give a full lineup when announcing selections, and strategies may shift. However, certain decisions are clearer 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. Some uncertainty in life is a positive, but manufacturing it out of the broadly obvious is unnecessary. For those aiming of engaging fans, transparency is crucial.