England fast bowler Gus Atkinson will miss the upcoming one-day series against the West Indies due to a hamstring injury, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced on Tuesday. The Surrey seamer sustained the strain during the Test match against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge.Atkinson showed visible signs of discomfort in the final stages of England’s innings victory over Zimbabwe, managing to bowl only three overs on the last day.The 27-year-old pace bowler, who claimed three wickets in the Zimbabwe Test, is expected to be available for the upcoming Test series against India starting June 20 at Headingley.The England management has opted for a cautious approach with Atkinson, who was the most experienced fast bowler in the Nottingham Test. Several key pacers including Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse, and Chris Woakes were already unavailable due to fitness issues.
The ODI series, which marks Harry Brook‘s first assignment as white-ball captain, begins at Edgbaston on Thursday, followed by matches at Cardiff and the Oval.England’s fast bowling options for the West Indies series include Brydon Carse, who has returned to fitness, along with Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Matthew Potts, and Luke Wood.Quiz: Who’s that IPL player?“Gus Atkinson has been ruled out of the upcoming Metro Bank one-day internationals against the West Indies due to a right hamstring strain,” the England and Wales Cricket Board statement read. “He will now undergo a period of rehabilitation under the supervision of the England medical team. No replacement will be added to the ODI squad.”The team has decided not to call up any replacements for the ODI series against West Indies.
