Sydney, 29 December (H.S.):

England's beleaguered fast bowling unit suffered yet another devastating blow ahead of the Ashes series decider, with pace bowler Gus Atkinson officially ruled out of the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground due to a confirmed left hamstring injury sustained during the Melbourne encounter.

Scans on Monday verified the damage after Atkinson clutched his leg following the final delivery of his fifth over on the second morning of the Boxing Day Test, marking him as the third express seamer—after Mark Wood and Jofra Archer—to exit the tour prematurely amid Australia's commanding 3-1 series lead.

Brydon Carse now stands as the solitary surviving out-and-out quick from the original Perth quartet tasked with unsettling Australia through raw velocity.

Atkinson, recalled for Melbourne in place of the injured Archer, had claimed six wickets at an average of 47.33 across the tour, highlighted by the prized scalps of Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne in Brisbane's tense fourth innings.

Dropped for Adelaide but reinstated, the 27-year-old Surrey right-armer departed the field immediately after the hamstring twinge during Australia's second innings, playing no further part as England clinched a four-wicket victory—their first overseas Ashes Test win since 2011.

England confirmed no replacement will join the squad for the January 4 opener.

The collapse began with Mark Wood, limited to one Test after knee discomfort in Perth—exacerbating a prior left knee surgery—followed by Jofra Archer's withdrawal post-Adelaide, where his first-innings five-wicket haul represented his series pinnacle.

Wood managed just 11 overs before flying home, while Archer succumbed to a side strain, shattering England's strategy of overwhelming Australia with four high-speed pacers: Wood, Archer, Carse, and Atkinson.

Carse, erratic in the initial three defeats, delivered his summer zenith in Melbourne to secure the consolation triumph.

Matthew Potts looms as Atkinson's probable successor, earning a Test recall after nearly 12 months, poised to share new-ball duties with Josh Tongue, whose Melbourne exploits bolster his case alongside Carse. Captain Ben Stokes will anchor the attack in his dependable all-rounder role, supported by spin-bowling allrounder Will Jacks, as England seeks pride restoration at the SCG.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar