Steve Smith, the veteran Australian batsman, admitted that he is unsure 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 just weeks before the opening Test at Trent Bridge in June, and the prospect of playing an Ashes series on English soil for the first time in his career carries a special significance. 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 milestone.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Smith explained his cautious approach to future selection. "I don’t even know if I’ll be there yet," he said, adding that he treats each series as a separate decision point. "I’ve been a series‑by‑series proposition for a while now, and that’s still a fair way away for me right now.

I would love to win an Ashes in England, but you have to wait and see if that ever materialises." Smith’s record in England is impressive. Over 23 Tests on the island he has amassed 2,334 runs at an average of 54.27, including eight centuries and ten fifties. His recent form has been equally strong: across nine Tests in 2025 he averaged just over 50, and in the three Tests he has played this year – one against England and two against Bangladesh – he is sitting on a 61.40 average. "I feel I’m batting really nicely," Smith said.

"I’ve found different ways to negotiate these tricky surfaces and still get runs. I want to contribute as much as possible – scoring runs, taking catches, helping out in leadership when needed. It’s been a good, fun couple of years." Beyond the Ashes, Smith is also keen to extend his T20 career and hopes to represent Australia at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where cricket is slated to make its debut.

He also voiced concerns about the increasing difficulty batters face from bowlers who have refined the wobble‑seam delivery in Test cricket. "There are some balls now that are just unplayable," he warned. "If a ball is seaming two degrees, you shouldn’t be hitting it.

If you are, you’re probably not a very good batter – you’re playing down the wrong line. And if the ball is coming into you, hitting the top of the stumps and you get trapped in front, there’s nothing you can do." Smith highlighted that England’s recent 3‑0 home series win over Pakistan was achieved without a frontline spinner, relying instead on part‑time bowler Dan Lawrence and a four‑pronged pace attack comprising Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson. By contrast, Australia cannot always count on Nathan Lyon as a guaranteed selection, especially on pitches that favour seam movement.

"When the ball is moving as much as it is, and bowlers can create relentless pressure by hitting the right spots, spin becomes the easiest thing to face and the one you can score freely off," Smith observed. "It’s a shame we have such spicy wickets that it’s got to that point, because I love playing against spin. I love watching spin bowlers. I was a spin bowler myself back in the day.

I would love to see spin play a much larger role in Test cricket again." Australia’s next major red‑ball assignment is a three‑match Test 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 starting at 11 am UK and Ireland time. Looking ahead, Smith’s uncertainty about the 2027 Ashes reflects the broader challenges faced by ageing greats in modern cricket. The sport demands high physical standards, and the grind of international tours can be taxing. Yet Smith’s continued excellence – his ability to adapt his technique to varied conditions, his willingness to mentor younger teammates, and his enthusiasm for the evolving formats of the game – suggests he will remain a valuable asset for Australia as long as he feels fit and motivated.

Should he decide to retire from Test cricket before the 2027 series, his legacy will already be secure: a prolific run‑scorer, a former captain who steered Australia through a tumultuous period, and a player who has reinvented himself multiple times. If he chooses to stay on, the prospect of finally adding an English Ashes victory to his résumé would provide a fitting capstone to a remarkable career.

Regardless of the outcome, Smith’s candidness about his future underscores a pragmatic approach to the twilight years of a sporting life. He acknowledges the uncertainties, remains focused on contributing in the present, and keeps an eye on the broader horizon – whether that includes an Olympic T20 campaign, a final Ashes triumph, or simply enjoying the game he loves for as long as possible.