🔗 Share this article

One might speculate whether the Australian cricket board intentionally chooses to be unclear 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 unchanged squad would not be much news, but this time it is, thanks to the anticipated changes involving Pat Cummins and Usman Khawaja, none of which has now eventuated.

The unexpected element is Cummins for not being included, with the team skipper and pace spearhead deep into his recovery from early signs of a back injury. The only public acknowledgment was a cursory line with the team announcement stating that “Pat Cummins will travel to Brisbane to continue his preparations.”

Insider reports support the view that this is all situation normal and his recovery remains happily on track, with a probable return to the team in the near future. Theoretically, he might still be added to the Brisbane squad in coming days if he and management so choose. But still, the explanations seem inconsistent.

Going back to when his medical tests came back positive in October, starting the clock on his buildup to match fitness, all public commentary from the player and timelines from CA suggested he would just be unavailable for the first Test and was set to practice at close to full intensity 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 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 Cummins said he would need four weeks to build up bowling loads, and with six days until the first ball in the Gabba? Not to mention, there are eight more days of rest between matches. Should he target Adelaide, it will be more than seven weeks since he started training again.

That in itself is fine: prognoses can change, doctors may be cautious, players can be cautious. What’s strange is that during the most anticipated and closely followed Ashes contest in Australia’s calendar, the board officials seem not to think it reasonable to share 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 muscle spasms in the first Test during brief periods on the field, preventing the regular batsman from playing his role in both innings and from having any influence when he eventually batted. Even if his symptoms have subsided, the newness of the problem creates concern that they could return in the heat of the next Test.

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

This doesn’t mean that teams should have to give a full lineup when picking their squad, and strategies may shift. However, certain decisions are clearer than others, and given the way Head’s whirlwind drew fan interest, it would cause no issue to confirm where those two players are slotted to play. A bit of mystery in life is a good thing, but creating it out of the clearly evident is unnecessary. For those aiming of winning over audiences, communication goes a long way.