England fast bowler Gus Atkinson has been ruled out of the fifth and final Ashes Test against Australia in Sydney after suffering a left hamstring injury.
The setback adds to England’s growing injury concerns on a difficult tour, with Atkinson becoming the third frontline pacer to be sidelined during the series.
Atkinson picked up the injury during the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. He appeared to strain his hamstring while bowling on the second morning, clutching his left leg at the end of an over before immediately leaving the field.
Subsequent scans confirmed the injury, ruling him out of the Sydney Test, which begins on January 4.
The 27-year-old joins Mark Wood and Jofra Archer on the injury list, further depleting England’s pace resources.
Wood was ruled out earlier in the series with a knee problem, while Archer suffered a side strain that ended his tour. All three were part of England’s first-choice XI at the start of the Ashes in Perth.
England has decided not to call up a replacement for Atkinson, opting instead to rely on players already within the squad.
Durham seamer Matthew Potts is expected to come into contention for the final Test and could make his Ashes debut at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Potts has not played a Test match since December last year but remains one of England’s reliable seam options.
Atkinson arrived in Australia as England’s pace leader but endured a mixed campaign. He struggled to find consistency in the opening two Tests, going wicketless in Perth before returning figures of 3 for 151 in Brisbane.
He was subsequently dropped for the third Test in Adelaide but earned a recall at the MCG following Archer’s injury.
On a lively Melbourne pitch, Atkinson showed signs of returning to form, claiming three wickets and contributing valuable runs with the bat.
However, his involvement was cut short by injury, and he played no further part as England went on to secure a memorable four-wicket victory, their first Ashes Test win in Australia since 2011.
Despite the disappointment, there is some positive news regarding Atkinson’s condition. The injury is not related to the right hamstring issue that sidelined him earlier this year, forcing him to miss the opening matches of England’s home series against India.
He returned strongly during that series, underlining his resilience and importance to the Test side.
England’s bowling attack for the final Test is expected to feature Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue, with Ben Stokes and Will Jacks providing additional options if required.
Spinner Shoaib Bashir is also available should England decide to adjust their combination for Sydney conditions.
Meanwhile, Australia has confirmed that Usman Khawaja will play in the Sydney Test amid speculation about his future. The veteran batter’s place has been under scrutiny, but selectors have backed him to feature in what could be a significant match.
As England prepares for the series finale, Atkinson’s absence is another reminder of the physical toll of a demanding Ashes tour.
While the pacer will now focus on recovery, England will hope to finish the series on a competitive note despite their mounting injury setbacks.
