Steve Smith, the veteran Australian batsman, admitted that he is uncertain whether he will be part of the Australian squad that travels to England for the 2027 Ashes. The 38‑year‑old will celebrate his birthday just weeks before the opening Test at Trent Bridge in June, and the prospect of playing in an Ashes series on English soil is tantalising for a player who has never lifted the urn away from home.

Smith told The Telegraph that his selection will be decided on a series‑by‑series basis, saying, "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." Smith’s statistics in England underline why the idea of a final Ashes triumph is so appealing.

In 23 Tests on British pitches he has amassed 2,334 runs at an impressive 54.27 average, including eight centuries and ten fifties. His recent form has been equally compelling: 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 versus Bangladesh – he is sitting on a 61.40 average. When asked about his current batting mindset, 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." Beyond Test cricket, Smith is keen to extend his T20 career and hopes to represent Australia at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where cricket will make a return as a medal sport. He also weighed in on a technical trend that is reshaping the modern game: 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 comments highlight the growing difficulty batters face when bowlers combine extreme seam movement with subtle variations in line and length.

While England’s recent 3‑0 home series win over Pakistan featured a pace‑heavy attack – Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson – with only part‑time spinner Dan Lawrence offering occasional relief, Australia’s own spin option, Nathan Lyon, is no longer a guaranteed selection on seam‑friendly wickets. "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," Smith 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." 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 the Proteas away from home since the 2018 ball‑tampering scandal that resulted in bans for Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft. The South African series will provide Smith with another platform to assess his fitness, form and desire to continue at the highest level, especially as the Ashes loom on the horizon. The upcoming Ashes will be played under the watchful eyes of fans worldwide, with all matches broadcast live on Sky Sports and kicking off at 11 a.m. UK and Ireland time.

For Smith, the decision to continue into his late thirties will hinge on a blend of personal ambition, physical readiness, and the evolving dynamics of modern Test cricket, where pace, seam, and spin all vie for dominance. Whether he ultimately dons the baggy green for the 2027 England tour remains to be seen, but his candid reflections underscore a player who is still deeply passionate about the game, eager to adapt, and hopeful for that elusive overseas Ashes victory.