Steve Smith, the veteran Australian batsman, admitted that he is unsure whether he will be part of the Australian squad for the 2027 Ashes series in England. The 38‑year‑old will celebrate his birthday just weeks before the opening Test at Trent Bridge in June, and the prospect of playing in England for a final Ashes campaign holds a particular allure for him. Smith has never been a member of a winning Ashes side on English soil, so the 2027 contest could represent his last realistic chance to achieve that milestone. In an interview with The Telegraph, Smith said, "I don't even know if I'll be there yet.
I'm kind of a series‑by‑series proposition, as I've been for a while. That's still a fair way away for me right now. I'd love to win an Ashes in England but you wait and see if that comes to fruition." His cautious approach reflects the fact that selection for a Test series at his age will depend on form, fitness, and the strategic needs of the team at that time. Smith's record in England is exceptional.
Over 23 Tests on English pitches he has amassed 2,334 runs at an average of 54.27, including eight centuries and ten fifties. This consistency has made him one of the most reliable overseas performers in the history of the Ashes. In the 2025 season, across nine Tests, he averaged just over 50, and in the current 2026 season he has already posted a 61.40 average from three matches – one against England and two against Bangladesh.
He explained his recent form, saying, "I feel I'm batting really nicely. I've found different ways to go about things on these tricky surfaces and still be able to score runs. So trying to contribute as well as I can for the team, score runs, take catches, help out in leadership areas where I need to – it's been a good, fun couple of years." Beyond the Test arena, Smith is keen to extend his T20 career and hopes to represent Australia at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, where cricket will return as a medal sport.
His ambitions in the shorter format highlight his desire to stay relevant across all forms of the game even as he contemplates the twilight of his Test career. During the conversation, Smith also addressed a technical trend that is reshaping batting challenges: the rise of the wobble‑seam delivery. He warned that some of these balls have become "unplayable," noting, "If it's seaming two degrees, you're not hitting that ball, or you shouldn't be hitting that ball. If you're hitting it, you're probably not a very good batter, to be honest.
You're playing down the wrong line. And if it's coming into you, and it's hitting the top of the stumps and you're getting trapped in front, you can't do anything about it." His comments underline the increasing difficulty batters face when bowlers can manipulate seam movement with such precision.
The discussion also turned to spin bowling, an area where Smith believes the modern game has lost balance. He observed that England's recent 3‑0 home series win over Pakistan was achieved without a frontline spinner, relying instead on part‑timer Dan Lawrence and a four‑bowler pace attack consisting of Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson. By contrast, Australia’s selection of Nathan Lyon has become less certain on seam‑friendly wickets, prompting Smith to argue, "When the ball's moving as much as it is, and you can create relentless pressure by bowlers just continually hitting the spot, spin's by far the easiest thing to face and the thing that you can score freely off.
It's a shame that we've had such spicy wickets that it's got to that point, because I love playing a spinner. I love watching spin bowlers bowl.
I was a spin bowler myself back in the day. I'd love to see spin play much more of a part in Test cricket again." Looking ahead, Australia's next major red‑ball assignment is a three‑match series in South Africa starting on 9 October.
This will be the first time the side has toured the Proteas away from home since the 2018 ball‑tampering scandal that resulted in bans for Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft. The series will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, with all matches slated to begin at 11 a.m. UK and Ireland time. Smith's ambivalence about the 2027 Ashes does not diminish his status as one of the game's modern greats.
His statistical record, adaptability to diverse conditions, and willingness to speak candidly about the evolving challenges of Test cricket make him a pivotal figure in Australian cricket's present and future. Whether he will don the baggy green for a final Ashes triumph in England remains to be seen, but his influence on and off the field will undoubtedly continue to shape the sport for years to come.