Steve Smith, the veteran Australian batsman, has openly admitted that he cannot say whether he will be part of the Australian side that travels to England for the 2027 Ashes series. The 38‑year‑old will celebrate his birthday only a few weeks before the opening Test at Trent Bridge in June, and the prospect of playing in an Ashes tour on English soil represents a unique milestone in his career.
To date, Smith has never been a member of a winning Ashes side away from home, and the 2027 contest could well be his final opportunity to achieve that elusive triumph. In an interview with The Telegraph, Smith explained his mindset: "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 answer reflects a pragmatic approach that has guided his selection decisions over the past few years, treating each series as a separate negotiation rather than committing to a long‑term plan. Smith’s record in England is nothing short of spectacular. Over 23 Tests on English pitches he has amassed 2,334 runs at an average of 54.27, including eight centuries and ten half‑centuries.
Those figures place him among the most successful overseas batsmen to have toured the country in recent memory. In the 2025 season, across nine Tests, he maintained an average just above 50, and in the three Tests he has played so far this year – one against England and two versus Bangladesh – his average has surged to 61.40. When asked about his current form, Smith said, "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." His remarks underscore a continued enthusiasm for the game, even as he contemplates the twilight of his Test career. Beyond the longer format, Smith is eager to extend his T20 International career and has his sights set on representing Australia at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, where cricket is expected to make a return as a medal sport. This ambition illustrates his desire to stay relevant across formats and to experience the unique prestige of an Olympic appearance.
Smith also weighed in on a technical trend that is reshaping modern Test batting: the rise of the wobble‑seam delivery. He warned that some of the newer balls are "just unplayable" and that bowlers who can consistently hit the optimal seam line make life extremely difficult for batsmen. "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," he explained. The discussion of seam versus spin is particularly relevant given recent team selections.
England, during their recent 3‑0 home series win over Pakistan, chose not to field a specialist spinner, relying instead on part‑timer Dan Lawrence and a quartet of pace bowlers – Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson. For Australia, the selection of veteran off‑spinner Nathan Lyon has become less certain on seam‑friendly wickets, prompting Smith to voice his support for a greater role for spin in Test cricket. "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," Smith said. "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." Australia’s next major red‑ball assignment is a three‑match series in South Africa, scheduled to begin on 9 October.
This will be the first time the Australian side has toured South Africa 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 start at 11 a.m.
UK and Ireland time. Looking ahead, Smith’s uncertainty about the 2027 Ashes does not diminish his impact on the current generation of Australian cricketers. His willingness to adapt his technique to challenging English conditions, his advocacy for spin bowling, and his ambition to compete in the Olympics all signal a player who continues to evolve and influence the game long after his debut. Whether or not he ultimately dons the baggy green for the 2027 tour, his legacy as one of Australia’s most adaptable and technically proficient batsmen remains firmly intact.