🔗 Share this article

One might speculate whether the Australian cricket board deliberately prefers to be unclear about team selection or simply has a deficiency in public relations, but yet again, the health status of athletes and the makeup of the XI must be deduced from the 14-player squad announcement for the second Ashes Test.

Normally, an identical team list would not be much news, but on this occasion it is, thanks to the possible movement involving both key players, neither of which has now eventuated.

The unexpected element is Cummins for not being included, with the team skipper and pace spearhead progressing in rehabilitation from early signs of a stress fracture. The only public acknowledgment was a brief mention with the team announcement 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 healing is proceeding well, with a likely addition to the side soon. In theory, he might still be added to the Brisbane squad in coming days if deemed fit by staff. But still, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Recalling when his medical tests came back positive in October, starting the clock on his buildup to match fitness, all public commentary from the bowler himself 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. 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 victory in the west, he was seen bowling in the New South Wales nets without any apparent limitations and, importantly, was training with a pink ball, what one would assume as preparation for the day-night Test.

What prompted the shift, 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 matches. If the latter is Cummins’ destination, it will be over two months since he resumed bowling.

This is acceptable: prognoses can change, doctors may be cautious, athletes might take care. 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 necessary to provide any information about the skipper’s condition or the evolving status of either.

And if caution is the watchword with Cummins, the reverse is true with the opener’s issue. He had muscle spasms in Perth during brief periods on the field, preventing the regular batsman 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 fact he’d not experienced them before creates concern that they could return in the heat of the next Test.

With Khawaja in the squad suggests he is due to resume opening the batting, 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. Once more, there is no confirmation about this, just the selection.

This doesn’t mean that teams should have to give a whole XI when announcing selections, and plans can change. However, certain decisions are clearer than others, and given the way Travis Head’s explosive performance drew fan interest, it would cause no issue to clarify where both batsmen are slotted to play. Some uncertainty 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.