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 an Ashes away from home for the first time in his career looms large. Smith has never been on the winning side in an overseas Ashes contest, so the 2027 series could represent his final opportunity to achieve that milestone.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Smith was candid about his ambivalence: "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 remarks underline a pragmatic approach to selection—he evaluates each tour on its own merits rather than committing to a long‑term plan.

Smith’s statistical record in England is impressive. Over 23 Tests on English soil he has amassed 2,334 runs at an average of 54.27, including eight centuries and ten half‑centuries. His recent form has been equally compelling: across nine Tests in 2025 he averaged just over 50, and in the three Tests played so far this year—one against England and two versus Bangladesh—he is sitting on a 61.40 average.

"I feel I'm batting really nicely," he 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 also 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. While discussing the evolving nature of Test bowling, he highlighted the growing challenge posed by bowlers who have refined 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. The discussion turned to England’s recent tactics. In their 3‑0 home series against Pakistan, England opted not to field a frontline spinner, relying instead on part‑timer Dan Lawrence alongside a quartet of pacemen—Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson.

By contrast, Australia’s selection of spin has become less certain, with Nathan Lyon’s place often dependent on seam‑friendly conditions. Smith expressed a clear preference for more 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. 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 beginning on October 9. This will be the first away series against the Proteas since the fallout from the 2018 ball‑tampering scandal, which resulted in bans for Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft. The South Africa tour will serve as a crucial barometer for Smith’s form and fitness ahead of any potential Ashes selection.

The 2027 Ashes will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, with all matches scheduled to start at 11 am UK and Ireland time. Whether Smith will don the baggy green for that historic series remains an open question, but his continued high standards, adaptability on difficult pitches, and enthusiasm for both batting and spin bowling suggest that he will remain a valuable asset for Australia for as long as his body permits.

His candidness about the uncertainties of future selection, combined with his desire to experience an Ashes victory on English soil, adds an intriguing narrative to the lead‑up of what promises to be a fiercely contested series.