'Serious blow' for England after Atkinson goes off due to a hamstring issue.
The English seamer further complicated the injury concerns plaguing England when he left the field during Saturday's play of the fourth Ashes Test in the Ashes series.
The pace bowler pulled up with his hamstring immediately following a delivery of the fourth over at the MCG.
The England team reported Atkinson felt some "soreness" and would spend time away from the action for further assessment "during the day".
The series decider of the tour at the SCG starts this coming Sunday.
The visitors have previously lost key quicks Mark Wood to a knee injury and another paceman because of a side injury on this Ashes tour.
A replacement bowler was called up as injury reinforcement.
Atkinson struggled early in the series, managing only a handful of scalps.
He was left out of the third Test, only to be brought back for the Melbourne Test in the playing XI.
Surrey's Atkinson showed better form in Melbourne, claiming a couple of wickets during the host's first knock, and scoring 28 runs while batting among just a trio of England players to reach double figures.
Post a single over in Australia's second innings, he came back the next day and removed Scott Boland taken by the wicketkeeper.
Yet, on the final ball of the fifth over, he delivered a variation to the batsman and suddenly grabbed at his leg.
Atkinson was brought back for the Melbourne match after being left out of the third.
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