Australia coach Justin Langer said it was a "no-brainer" not to include star batsman Steve Smith in the side for the third Ashes Test against England after he suffered concussion.
The 30-year-old Smith, who has scored two centuries and 92 in his three innings in the first two Tests, was felled by a Jofra Archer bouncer on Saturday in the first innings of the second Test at Lord's.
Smith's absence will be a huge blow to Australia who hold a 1-0 lead in the five-Test series and for whom victory at Headingley would ensure they retained the Ashes.
Their other batsmen have not looked convincing - experienced opener David Warner has totalled just 18 in his four innings - with Smith being the lynchpin.
"When we followed the protocols he was probably a couple of days off being fit to be selected," said Langer at a press conference.
"It was really a no-brainer. He felt a bit better yesterday but he's not going to have enough time to tick off everything he's got to do."
Langer said losing Smith was as big a blow as England losing leading wicket taker Jimmy Anderson in the first Test.
"It's not unlike England losing James Anderson. He's arguably their best bowler and we're going to lose arguably our best batsman for this Test match," said Langer.
"It is always a blow. No doubt about that. When you take your best players out it always has an impact.
"We have to make sure our senior players and the younger guys step up and fill what are almost unfillable shoes because he's the best player in the world."
Smith, whose two centuries in the first Test were pivotal in Australia taking a 1-0 lead, returned to bat on Saturday despite the blow to the side of the head. He added 12 runs before being out.
However, he was unable to play on the fifth and final day as he awoke feeling "groggy". Australia held on to draw the Test with his concussion substitute Marnus Labuschagne playing a key innings.
The Ashes series is the first being played under the International Cricket Council's new concussion substitute regulations, as part of the inaugural World Test Championship.
The regulations allow players who have suffered head or neck injuries to be replaced fully by a substitute, who was previously restricted to fielding alone.
During Saturday's play Smith was wearing a helmet without the additional stem guard neck protection introduced following the death of his former Australia team-mate Phillip Hughes who was hit by a bouncer in a domestic Sheffield Shield match in Sydney in 2014.
Australia, bidding for their first Ashes campaign triumph on English soil in 18 years, lead the series thanks to a 251-run win at Edgbaston a fortnight ago.
In that match, Smith marked his first Test since completing a 12-month ban for his role in a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa with superb innings of 144 and 142.
Smith has two weeks to be ready for the fourth Test in Manchester, which starts on September 4.
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MATCH INFO
World Cup qualifier
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While you're here
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
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Karnataka Tuskers 110-3
J Charles 35, M Pretorius 1-19, Z Khan 0-16
Deccan Gladiators 111-5 in 8.3 overs
K Pollard 45*, S Zadran 2-18
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Towering concerns
Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
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War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
E-cigarettes report
SECRET%20INVASION
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
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If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
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INDIA'S%20TOP%20INFLUENCERS
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Bio
Born in Dubai in 1994
Her father is a retired Emirati police officer and her mother is originally from Kuwait
She Graduated from the American University of Sharjah in 2015 and is currently working on her Masters in Communication from the University of Sharjah.
Her favourite film is Pacific Rim, directed by Guillermo del Toro
Pari
Produced by: Clean Slate Films (Anushka Sharma, Karnesh Sharma) & KriArj Entertainment
Director: Prosit Roy
Starring: Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Rajat Kapoor, Mansi Multani
Three stars
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Tomorrow 2021
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Tomorrow 2021
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request