Ellis misses the last two Scotland T20Is and the England tour with a thigh injury

A hamstring injury sustained in the Hundred has ruled Nathan Ellis out of Australia's T20I squad, meaning he will miss the remainder of the series against Scotland and the eight subsequent white-ball matches in England.

Ellis had seen the Scotland series as his rare chance to lead Australia's attack with Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins rested and Josh Hazlewood ruled out with a calf injury. But Cricket Australia announced on Friday that he had not recovered from his hamstring injury in time to be considered for selection and would fly home shortly.

The timing of the injury – sustained while playing for London Spirit in the Hundred – is particularly frustrating for Ellis. He has played 17 T20Is, including three appearances in the 2024 T20 World Cup, but his chances have generally depended on at least one of the 'big three' quicks being sidelined.

Riley Meredith, who played his first international match since 2021 in Australia's victory over Scotland in the first T20I on Wednesday, will remain in the squad as a reserve. Somerset expect to be without Meredith on T20 Blast Finals Day on Saturday, which takes place between the second and third matches of the England series.

Hazlewood has landed in England ahead of the first T20I at the Utilita Bowl on Wednesday.”[He] will join the team in Southampton after recovering from a slight calf strain,” a CA spokesman said. Ellis was also expected to play in the five-match ODI series against England, which begins on September 19. A replacement has not yet been named.

Meredith could theoretically play for Somerset on final day, which takes place at Edgbaston on Saturday, but the club's captain Lewis Gregory said after Thursday night's quarter-final win that they did not expect him to be available. Somerset have no players in England's T20I squad, so will have their entire squad available otherwise.