England bowler James Anderson will miss both Twenty20 internationals against Australia and the first three of seven one-day internationals down under.
Steven Finn will remain with the England squad in Anderson's absence before joining the England Lions tour of the West Indies in January.
England team director Andy Flower said: "James will be returning to the UK for a break from cricket for 10 days.
Meanwhile an injury has ruled Craig Kieswetter out of the Twenty20 matches.
The Somerset wicketkeeper has an abscess and will undergo minor surgery to rectify the problem.
Opener Michael Lumb, who is playing Twenty20 cricket in Australia with the Queensland Bulls, will replace Kieswetter in the England team.
The left-hander was part of England's World Twenty20-winning team in the West Indies in June last year.
"Michael Lumb has already demonstrated his ability in Twenty20 cricket and it is good to have him back playing cricket again after a long term injury," said national selector Geoff Miller.
"We are delighted to be able to call a player of his calibre into the squad."
Anderson, the leading wicket-taker in the Ashes and the only England fast bowler to feature in all five Tests, is a key member of the attack for the World Cup.
And he will return to the England side to take part in the last four one-day internationals.
Flower added: "We feel that he will benefit from a short rest period to ensure he is fresh for the second half of the Australia ODI series and the World Cup which follows shortly after.
"He's had a heavy workload so far this winter, playing in all five Tests."
Anderson has a four-week old baby, whose birth he was allowed to attend during a brief return to England between the Tests in Adelaide and Perth.
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