Stuart Clark has been ruled out of the first Test between Australia and South Africa, which starts in Perth on Wednesday.
The fast bowler felt soreness in his right elbow during a training session on Sunday and is now expected to return home to Sydney to have surgery.
After being named 12th man for the last Test against New Zealand in Adelaide, Victorian paceman Peter Siddle will now come into the squad.
The same elbow injury also forced Clark out of the second Test against India in October but he returned to play the remaining two Tests on the tour.
"It's no secret, I've had a bad elbow for a while, it's flared up, it's not acceptable to play," Clark said on Cricket Australia's official website.
"I thought it was getting better, obviously it's not."
