Matthew Wade taking an indefinite break from BBL for personal reasons

Hobart Hurricanes hope their captain will be available for the back-end of the tournament

Matthew Wade will be absent from Hobart Hurricanes' Big Bash League campaign for an unspecified period for personal reasons.

The captain has not been included in the 14-strong squad to face Brisbane Heat on Saturday (January 8).

Peter Handscomb will skipper the side at The Gabba.

Wade has endured a tough competition thus far, scoring 177 runs at 19.66. He's failed to reach double figures in each of his last four innings.

Head coach Adam Griffith hopes the 34-year-old will be available for the twilight of the competition.

Hurricanes are currently fourth in the BBL table with four wins from nine games.

^{Tom Lammonby is back in the fray (Alex Davidson/Getty Images)}

"He's okay," said Griffith. "It's just something he's working through at the moment.

"We don't really have a timeline just as yet, but we're hopeful of having him back at the back-end of the tournament."

Gabe Bell of Tasmanian Tigers and Queensland's Will Sanders have been added to the Hurricanes squad.

Scott Boland, Natha Ellis and Joel Paris are all missing due to a combination of international commitments and injury.

Tom Lammonby is available again after playing the opening two games against Sydney Sixers, but Harry Brook and Jordan Thompson continue to be sidelined as a precaution having been in close proximity to a Covid-19 case.