Seamer Atkinson Compounds England's Fitness Worries.
'Major setback' for the touring side after Atkinson leaves the field suffering a hamstring problem.
The pace bowler added to England's injury problems upon exiting the field early on day two of the Boxing Day Test in the Ashes series.
The pace bowler felt a problem in his hamstring after the final ball of the fourth over at the MCG.
The touring camp reported the 27-year-old felt some "soreness" and required time on the sidelines in order to be assessed "over the next few hours".
The concluding match of the series in Sydney gets underway this coming Sunday.
The visitors have been without fast bowlers Mark Wood due to knee trouble and Jofra Archer with an abdominal strain on this Ashes tour.
A replacement bowler was brought into the squad as cover for Wood.
The seamer had a tough time in the opening two Tests, taking just three wickets.
He was left out from the previous Test, only to be brought back for the Melbourne Test as Archer's replacement.
Surrey's Atkinson showed better form in Melbourne, claiming a couple of wickets in Australia's first innings, then making 28 with the bat being one of only three English batsmen to get into double digits.
Post a single over at the end of day one, he resumed for the second day's play and removed Scott Boland taken by the wicketkeeper.
Yet, on the final ball of that over, he delivered a variation to Travis Head and suddenly grabbed his left hamstring.
Gus Atkinson was recalled for the Melbourne match having missed of the third.
