Seamer Atkinson Exacerbates the English team's Injury Problems.
'Serious blow' for the touring side as Atkinson is forced off due to a hamstring issue.
The pace bowler further complicated the fitness woes of the England squad after leaving the playing area on the second morning of the Boxing Day Test versus the Australians.
The right-arm seamer pulled up with his hamstring immediately following a delivery that he bowled on Saturday.
The England team stated Atkinson had experienced "tightness" and would spend time on the sidelines in order to be assessed "during the day".
The series decider of the series beginning on 4 January starts at the end of the week.
England have previously lost strike bowlers Mark Wood to a knee injury and another paceman because of a side injury during this series.
Matthew Fisher was added to the party as cover for Wood.
The seamer had a tough time early in the series, taking just a handful of scalps.
He was omitted from the previous Test, before being recalled for the fourth Test in the playing XI.
Surrey's Atkinson performed better in the fourth Test, claiming a couple of wickets with the ball, then making 28 as a batsman being one of only three England players to get into double digits.
After bowling one over in Australia's second innings, he resumed on Saturday morning and had nightwatchman edging to the keeper.
Unfortunately, towards the conclusion of that over, he bowled a variation to the batsman and suddenly grabbed his left hamstring.
Gus Atkinson was brought back for the Melbourne match after being left out the Adelaide game.
