🔗 Share this article

You could wonder whether the Australian cricket board deliberately prefers to be unclear about player availability or simply has a deficiency in communications, but yet again, the health status of athletes and the makeup of the XI must be deduced from the selection in the larger squad for the Brisbane match.

Typically, an unchanged squad would not attract attention, but on this occasion it is, due 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 stress fracture. The sole official statement was a brief mention with the squad release stating that Cummins is scheduled to go to Brisbane to continue his preparations.”

Insider reports support the view that everything is on track and his recovery remains happily on track, with a likely addition to the side soon. Theoretically, Cummins could even join the Test squad in the next few days if he and management so choose. However, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Recalling when his medical tests came back positive in last month, starting the clock on his buildup to match fitness, all official statements from the bowler himself 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. Coach Andrew McDonald said, “He will be up and bowling in Perth, and people will be sitting there questioning why he’s not playing.”

Once Cummins got back to his home city following the victory in the west, he was observed practicing in the state facilities without any visible restrictions and, most notably, was training with a pink ball, presumably as preparation for the day-night Test.

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 less than a week to go in Brisbane? Additionally, there are eight more days of rest between matches. Should he target Adelaide, it will be over two months since he resumed bowling.

This is acceptable: medical opinions evolve, medical staff can be conservative, players can be cautious. What’s strange is that during the high-profile Ashes contest in Australia’s calendar, the governing body’s representatives seem not to think it reasonable to share updates about the captain’s fitness and availability or the changing nature of either.

And if caution is the watchword with the captain, the reverse is true with Khawaja’s back injury. He had muscle spasms in the first Test during brief periods on the field, keeping Australia’s usual opener from playing his role in both innings and from having any influence when he did bat down the order. Though he may have improved, the newness of the problem creates concern that they could return in the pressure of Brisbane.

With Khawaja in the squad suggests he is set to return to opening the batting, even though Travis Head made a record-setting century in Perth. Khawaja wouldn’t be picked as a reserve or to play lower. Once more, there is no official information about this, only the squad listing.

It isn’t necessary that teams should have to give a whole XI when picking their squad, and plans can change. But some plans are firmer than others, and considering how Travis Head’s explosive performance captured public attention, it would cause no issue to clarify where those two players are due to bat. A bit of mystery in sports is a good thing, but manufacturing it out of the clearly evident is needless. For those aiming of winning over audiences, communication goes a long way.