Steve Smith, the veteran Australian batsman, admitted that he "does not know" 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 series on English soil is especially tantalising for him.
To date, Smith has never been a member of a winning Ashes side away from home, so the 2027 contest could represent his final opportunity to achieve that elusive triumph. In an interview with The Telegraph, Smith explained his uncertainty: "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." He stressed that his selection will depend on form, fitness and the strategic needs of the team as the date approaches. 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.
His consistency on the swinging, seaming tracks has cemented his reputation as one of the most adaptable modern Test batsmen. In the 2025 season he averaged just over 50 across nine Tests, and in the current year, across three matches – one against England and two versus Bangladesh – his average sits at a lofty 61.40. Reflecting on his recent 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 comment underscores both his personal satisfaction and his willingness to contribute in multiple facets of the game, from batting to fielding and leadership.
Beyond the Test arena, Smith is keen to extend his T20 career and has his sights set on representing Australia at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where cricket is slated to make its debut as a medal sport. This ambition highlights his desire to remain relevant across formats and to experience the unique prestige of an Olympic appearance. During the conversation, Smith also addressed a growing concern among top‑order batsmen: the increasing prevalence of the wobble‑seam delivery. He warned, "There are some balls now that are just unplayable.
Some of these balls have your name on it and you can't do anything about it. 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." Smith's critique points to a broader shift in Test bowling strategies, where bowlers are mastering subtle variations that make life extremely difficult for even the most technically sound batsmen. The English side, for instance, opted not to field a frontline spinner during their recent 3‑0 home sweep of Pakistan, relying instead on part‑timer Dan Lawrence to complement a quartet of pace bowlers – Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson. This decision reflects a trend toward pace‑dominant attacks on English wickets that often favour seam over spin. For Australia, the selection of veteran spinner Nathan Lyon has become less certain in recent years, particularly when conditions are expected to favour seam movement.
Smith observed, "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." His remarks underscore a longing for a more balanced attack that incorporates quality spin, especially on pitches that historically offered assistance to turners. Smith's personal background as a former spin bowler adds weight to his advocacy for a revival of spin's role in the longest format. Australia's next major red‑ball assignment arrives in October, when they travel to South Africa for a three‑match series starting on the 9th. 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 a crucial test of form and fitness ahead of any potential Ashes selection decisions. All of the matches will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, with each game scheduled to start at 11 a.m.
UK and Ireland time, ensuring that fans across the British Isles can follow the action closely. As the 2027 Ashes draw nearer, Smith's uncertainty remains, but his impressive statistics, adaptability on challenging surfaces, and passion for both batting and spin bowling suggest that, if he does make the squad, he could still play a pivotal role in Australia's quest for an overseas Ashes triumph.