Steve Smith, the seasoned Australian batsman, admitted that he has no clear answer yet about whether he will be part of the Australian side that travels to England for the 2027 Ashes series. The cricketer, who will be 38 years old just weeks before the opening Test at Trent Bridge in June, said his participation hinges on a series‑by‑series assessment rather than a long‑term plan. "I don't even know if I'll be there yet," Smith told The Telegraph.
"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." The prospect of an Ashes victory on English soil is especially tantalising for Smith because, despite an illustrious career, he has never lifted the urn away from home. A successful 2027 campaign could represent his final opportunity to achieve that elusive milestone before retirement. Smith's record in England is nothing short of exceptional. Over 23 Tests on English pitches he has amassed 2,334 runs at a remarkable average of 54.27, including eight centuries and ten fifties.
His recent form has remained strong: in 2025 he averaged just over 50 across nine Tests, and in the three Tests played so far this year – one against England and two versus Bangladesh – his average sits at an impressive 61.40. "I feel I'm batting really nicely," Smith said when reflecting on his current technique.
"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 the Test arena, Smith is keen to extend his Twenty‑20 career and hopes to represent Australia at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, where cricket is slated to return as a medal sport. His ambitions, however, are tempered by the evolving challenges batters face on modern pitches, particularly the rise of the wobble‑seam delivery. "There are some balls now that are just unplayable," Smith observed.
"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." His comments underline the growing difficulty of coping with extreme seam movement on English and Australian pitches, where bowlers can extract sharp lateral deviation that renders many conventional strokes ineffective. Smith highlighted that while the wobble‑seam is a nightmare for batters, spin bowling remains a more approachable weapon. "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," he explained.
"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 own spin options have become less certain in recent years, with Nathan Lyon not always a guaranteed selection in conditions that favour seam.
England, on the other hand, opted not to field a specialist spinner during their recent 3‑0 home series against Pakistan, relying instead on part‑timer Dan Lawrence to complement a four‑bowler pace attack comprising Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson. The upcoming Australian tour of South Africa, scheduled to begin on 9 October, will be the first away series against the Proteas since the 2018 ball‑tampering scandal that saw Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft receive bans.
The three‑match series will provide Smith with a further chance to fine‑tune his game ahead of any potential Ashes selection. All three Tests will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, with kick‑offs at 11 am UK and Ireland time, ensuring that fans across the region can follow the action closely.
Whether Smith will don the baggy green for the 2027 Ashes remains an open question, but his continued high standards, adaptability on difficult surfaces, and enthusiasm for both the longer and shorter formats suggest he will remain a pivotal figure in Australian cricket for the foreseeable future.