NEW DELHI: Australia's pace spearhead Josh Hazlewood will miss at least the first Ashes Test against England, starting next Friday in Perth, after suffering a hamstring injury.

Although initial scans suggested no major damage, Cricket Australia confirmed on Saturday that a follow-up scan revealed a strain. Hazlewood will now join captain Pat Cummins on the sidelines, leaving Australia's fast-bowling attack significantly weakened for the Ashes opener.

Brendan Doggett is expected to make his Test debut in Hazlewood's place, after secondary scans clarified the severity of the injury. The 33-year-old suffered the hamstring strain while playing a Sheffield Shield match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.

Hazlewood will remain at home rather than travel with the squad to Perth, and it is currently uncertain when, or if, he will be fit to feature in the remainder of the five-Test series.

It means the hosts will enter the high-profile series without their two highest-ranked test bowlers, with Cummins and Hazlewood currently fourth and sixth in international test rankings.

It will mark the first time in nearly three years that Australia has played a test without two of their top three fast bowlers and only the second time since 2014 they've played a home test without Cummins and Hazlewood.

Test squad member Sean Abbott is also sidelined, having suffered a hamstring setback on the same day during the same game as Hazlewood.

"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 bad news on Hazlewood came on the same day that England announced some good news - fast bowler Mark Wood has been cleared of a hamstring injury and could play in the first test in Perth.

(With AP Inputs)