Gus Atkinson was ruled out of the final Ashes Test, leaving England to finish the series in Sydney with three bowlers down.
Atkinson was pulled up while bowling in the team’s two-day win in Melbourne and took no further part in the match.
Scans revealed he has a left hamstring injury, which means he will not be able to take part in the New Year’s Test starting on January 4, although the exact severity may not be known until further tests are carried out upon his return.
The 27-year-old finished the first Ashes series with six wickets at 47.33, showing glimpses of his ability without asserting himself on this occasion.
Atkinson’s early withdrawal follows that of Mark Wood, whose knee problem returned after the first Test, and Jofra Archer, who injured his side after withdrawing from each of the first three matches.
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Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton look back at how England avoided a potential Ashes whitewash after ending 18 Tests in Australia and a 15-year winless streak
The trio were in the tourists’ first-choice eleven when they welcomed the fast-paced Australians on opening day in Perth, but they will end the series with a much-changed attack.
No substitutes have been called up as England aim to close the gap to 3 wins and 2 losses, with Durham’s Matthew Potts next in line, with Surrey’s Matthew Fisher, who previously joined the main squad from the Lions, also in the wings.
Brydon Kearse is set to complete his fifth successive Test, but after two impressive performances in Adelaide and Melbourne, he could be handed over new ball duties in favor of Josh Tan.
Potts took 36 wickets in 10 Test appearances at an average of 29.44, while Fisher won his only cap against West Indies in 2022, taking one wicket for 71 against Barbados.
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