🔗 Share this article

You could wonder whether the Australian cricket board intentionally chooses to be opaque about player availability or simply lacks effectiveness in communications, but once again, the fitness of players and final team composition must be deduced from the 14-player squad announcement for the Brisbane match.

Typically, 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 come to pass.

Cummins is the surprise for his omission, with the team skipper and pace spearhead deep into his recovery from early signs of a stress fracture. The only public acknowledgment was a brief mention 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 healing is proceeding well, with a probable return to the side soon. Theoretically, he might still be added to the Test squad in coming days if deemed fit by staff. But still, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Going back to when Cummins’ scans were cleared in last month, initiating the countdown on his return to play, all official statements from the player and timelines from CA suggested he would only narrowly miss the initial match and was set to practice at close to full intensity with the team during the match. Coach Andrew McDonald said, “He will be up and bowling in Perth, and fans will wonder why he’s not playing.”

Once Cummins got back to Sydney following the team’s raucous two-day win, he was seen bowling in the New South Wales nets without any apparent limitations and, most notably, was training with a pink ball, what one would assume 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 his workload, 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 more than seven weeks since he resumed bowling.

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 governing body’s representatives don’t appear to consider it necessary to provide 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 Khawaja’s back injury. He had spasms flare up in Perth during two paltry fielding innings, preventing the regular batsman from playing his role 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 creates concern that they might recur in the heat of the next Test.

His inclusion suggests he is due to resume the top order, even though Travis Head made a record-setting century in Perth. Khawaja wouldn’t be picked as a reserve or to bat down the order. But again, there is no confirmation about this, only the squad listing.

This doesn’t mean that sides must reveal 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 drew fan interest, it would do no harm to confirm where those two players are due to bat. A bit of mystery in life is a positive, but manufacturing it out of the broadly obvious is needless. For those aiming of winning over audiences, communication goes a long way.