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 could represent his final opportunity to win the coveted trophy away from home. 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 comments reflect a pragmatic approach to selection, acknowledging that age, form and team balance will all influence the decision as the series 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.
Those numbers place him among the most successful visiting batsmen in Ashes history, yet he has never been part of a winning Ashes campaign on foreign soil. The 2027 contest, therefore, holds a particular allure for the right‑hander, who would relish the chance to cap his career with an overseas Ashes triumph. His recent form in the longer format has also been encouraging.
In the 2025 season Smith averaged just over 50 across nine Tests, and in the current year he has compiled 61.40 runs per innings in three matches – one against England and two against Bangladesh. "I feel I'm batting really nicely," Smith said.
"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 his Test ambitions, Smith is keen to extend his T20 career and hopes to represent Australia at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where cricket is slated to return as a medal sport. He also weighed in on a technical trend that is reshaping modern Test cricket: the rise of the wobble‑seam delivery.
"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," he explained. Smith's observations highlight the increasing difficulty batters face when bowlers can manipulate seam movement with extreme precision.
He noted that when the ball moves as much as it does in current conditions, bowlers can generate relentless pressure by consistently hitting the right spot, making spin the most forgiving option for batsmen. "Spin's by far the easiest thing to face and the thing that you can score freely off," he 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." The comment about spin comes at a time when England's recent 3‑0 home series win over Pakistan featured no specialist spinner; instead, part‑timer Dan Lawrence supplemented a four‑bowler attack comprising Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson. For Australia, the selection of veteran off‑spinner Nathan Lyon is no longer a certainty, especially on seam‑friendly pitches where pace dominates.
Smith's advocacy for a greater role for spin underscores a broader conversation within the cricketing community about balance between pace and spin in the longest format. Australia's next major red‑ball assignment will be a three‑match series in South Africa starting on 9 October.
This marks the first time the Australian side will tour 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 kicking off at 11 a.m. UK and Ireland time.
Looking ahead, Smith's uncertainty about the 2027 Ashes reflects both personal humility and the realities of elite sport. At 38, he remains one of the world's premier Test batsmen, but the rigours of a long tour, the emergence of younger talent and the strategic direction of Australian cricket will all play a part in the final decision.
Whether he ultimately dons the baggy green for the 2027 England summer or steps aside for the next generation, his legacy as a prolific run‑scorer, a thoughtful leader and an advocate for the game's evolution is already firmly established.