🔗 Share this article

You could wonder whether Cricket Australia deliberately prefers to be unclear about team selection or simply lacks effectiveness in communications, but once 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 identical team list would not attract attention, but this time it is, thanks to the anticipated changes involving Pat Cummins and Usman Khawaja, neither of which has come to pass.

Cummins is the surprise for his omission, with the regular captain and pace spearhead deep into his recovery from early signs of a back injury. The sole official statement was a brief mention with the team announcement stating that “Pat Cummins will travel to Brisbane to further his training.”

Suggestions from within CA support the view that this is all situation normal and his recovery remains happily on track, with a likely addition to the side soon. Theoretically, Cummins could even join the Brisbane squad in the next few days if deemed fit by staff. But still, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Recalling when his medical tests came back positive in last month, starting the clock on his return to play, all public commentary from the player and timelines from CA indicated he would only narrowly miss the initial match and was scheduled to train at nearly full tilt with the squad in Perth. Coach Andrew McDonald said, “Cummins will be fit to bowl 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 apparent limitations and, most notably, was using a pink Kookaburra 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 bowling loads, 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. If the latter is Cummins’ destination, it will be more than seven weeks since he resumed bowling.

This is acceptable: medical opinions evolve, doctors may be cautious, players can be cautious. What’s strange is that during the most anticipated and closely followed Test series in the season, the governing body’s representatives don’t appear to consider it reasonable to share any information about the skipper’s condition or the changing nature of either.

And if caution is the watchword with Cummins, the opposite applies with Khawaja’s back injury. He had spasms flare up in the first Test during two paltry fielding innings, keeping Australia’s usual opener from playing his role in the match and from having any influence when he eventually batted. Though he may have improved, 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 suggests he is due to resume the top order, even though Travis Head made a record-setting century in his place. Khawaja wouldn’t be picked as a backup or to play lower. Once more, there is no confirmation about this, only the squad listing.

It isn’t necessary that sides must reveal a whole XI when picking their squad, and plans can change. However, certain decisions are clearer than others, and considering how Head’s whirlwind 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 manufacturing it out of the broadly obvious is unnecessary. If you’re in the business of winning over audiences, communication goes a long way.