Australia have suffered a huge blow ahead of the Ashes, with Josh Hazlewood ruled out of the opening Test in Perth with a hamstring injury three days after initially being cleared when he left the field during New South Wales' Sheffield Shield game against Victoria at the SCG.

Hazlewood will not travel to Perth this weekend, and Queensland seamer Michael Neser has been added to the squad, which has also lost Sean Abbott to a hamstring injury.

Pat Cummins had already been ruled out of at least the opening Test as he recovers from a back injury.

"Initial scans Wednesday were clear of muscle strain, however follow-up imaging today has confirmed the injury," a CA statement on Saturday said. "Early imaging can occasionally underestimate low-grade muscle injuries."

The update mea

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