The Big Bash League's clubs were left scratching their heads for the replacement when England and the Wales Cricket Board (ECB) recalled their T20I squad members ahead of West Indies tour later this month.
As many as six players taking part in the ongoing BBL 2021-22 season have been summoned by the cricket board.
Sam Billings, Saqib Mahmood, George Garton, James Vince, Tymal Mills and Reece Topley are the players in question.
According to a report on the official website of Cricket Australia, the players will have to report back home before entering a pre-tour isolation by January 7.
Both Billings and Mahmood have been in red-hot form and the side is already grappling with key players missing out having tested positive for COVID-19.
Billings and Mahmood, as well as George Garton (of the Adelaide Strikers), will bow out after the bout between their respective teams today in Sydney. Tymal Mills played his final game of BBL 11 earlier in the day for the Perth Scorchers.
Chris Jordan is another member of England's T20I squad against the West Indies who was part of the BBL, but he has already returned home.
England's 16-player T20I squad includes Billings and Mahmood (Sydney Thunder), George Garton (Adelaide Strikers), Chris Jordan (who has already returned home) and James Vince (Sydney Sixers), Tymal Mills (Perth Scorchers) and Reece Topley (Melbourne Renegades).
Sunday's (January 2) game will be Billings and Mahmood's final appearance for the Sydney club – Garton was named an X-factor sub for the Strikers for the same game – while Mills likely signed off during Perth's victory over Melbourne Stars earlier the same day.
Topley has been named in the Renegade's squad for Monday's Melbourne derby, and it is yet to be seen whether Vince will sneak in one final match for the Sixers on Tuesday before departing.
England are set to tour former champions West Indies for a five-match T20I series later this month. All five games will be played at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, with the first of those beginning on January 22.
The series marks England's first white-ball venture since the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, where they made the semi-finals. The England Test side are currently in Australia and have already lost the Ashes 3-0 with two games still to go.
