Australia’s Steve Smith says he “does not know” if he will play in next summer’s Ashes in England.
Smith will turn 38 a couple of weeks before the first Test at Trent Bridge next June.
The batter has never won an Ashes series away from home and the 2027 contest would surely represent his last chance to do so.
Smith averages 54.27 in Test matches in England
Speaking to The Telegraph, Smith said: “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 Test record in England is stellar – an average of 54.27 across 23 matches with his haul of 2,334 runs including eight hundreds and 10 half-centuries.
The right-hander averaged a shade over 50 across his nine Test outings in 2025, while in three games this year – one against England and two versus Bangladesh – he is averaging 61.40.
Smith made scores of 71, 44 and 42 in the recent 1-1 home draw with Bangladesh
He 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.”
‘Some balls now are just unplayable’
Smith – who is eager to prolong his T20 career and play for Australia in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics – also had his say on how bowlers perfecting the wobble-seam delivery in Test cricket is making life incredibly difficult for batters.
Smith wants to represent Australia in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics
He said: “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.”
England did not play a frontline spinner during their recent 3-0 home sweep of Pakistan with part-time tweaker Dan Lawrence supporting the four-pronged pace attack of Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson.
For Australia, Nathan Lyon is not always a certain pick now due to seam-friendly conditions.
Ollie Robinson flourished for England during a seam-dominated 2026 home summer
Smith added: “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.”
Australia’s next red-ball assignment is a three-match series in South Africa from October 9 – the first time they have tackled the Proteas away from home since the ball-tampering scandal in 2018 which led to bans for Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.
Men’s Ashes schedule 2027
All games live on Sky Sports, all 11am starts UK and Ireland
- First Test: Trent Bridge (June 18-22)
- Second Test: Lord’s (June 30-July 4)
- Third Test: Edgbaston (July 8-12)
- Fourth Test: Utilita Bowl (July 21-25)
- Fifth Test: The Kia Oval (July 29- August 2)