Steve Smith coy on future of his Test career ahead of Ashes, David Warner’s retirement

The Australian vice-captain won’t be drawn into discussions about his future as players try to keep their place in the team, writes DANIEL CHERNY.

Steve Smith won’t speculate on his future ahead of the Ashes. Picture: Ryan Pierse-ICC/ICC via Getty Images

Steve Smith has refused to join David Warner in providing any clarity around his future in international cricket but stressed that all players need to score runs to keep their respective places in the team.

The Australian vice-captain last summer gave several mixed messages around his long-term plans in the game, with the issue coming into sharper focus after Warner, Smith’s teammate of more than a decade, flagged that he wanted to retire from Test cricket following next year’s Sydney Test against Pakistan, and then finish up in international cricket for good after the Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies and US in the middle of next year.

Smith, who turned 34 last week, is more than two years younger than Warner. However given so many of Australia’s top players are in their 30s, and with the Aussies facing a massive year of cricket including this week’s World Test Championship final, an Ashes series, a one-day World Cup in India and then the T20 even next year, a changing of the guard has been mooted beyond that period.

But whereas Warner mapped out his ambitions in intricate detail, Smith shouldered arms when asked on Monday if he had any further clarity on his future.

Smith and David Warner have been teammates for more than a decade. Picture: Michael Klein

“No,” Smith said bluntly ahead of Australian training at The Oval, two days out from the side’s clash with India in the WTC decider.

Asked if he cared to expand, Smith again said: “No.”

Smith was prepared however to discuss Warner’s declaration of intention from a couple of days earlier.

The opener enters the WTC final with his position in the Test XI appearing precarious after a three-year stretch in which he is averaging less than 30 with the bat in the game’s longest format.

Selection chief George Bailey and coach Andrew McDonald have been equivocal about Warner’s position in the XI beyond the WTC final, with the left-hander’s poor record in England, and specifically his struggles at the hands of Stuart Broad in the 2019 Ashes a key consideration for selectors heading into the battle for the urn, beginning at Edgbaston on June 16.

Smith said he supported Warner’s decision to outline his plans but provided a qualifier that no player has a right to be selected indefinitely.

“It’s nice to have an end date I suppose, if that’s the way you want to go, but ultimately for all of us we’ve got to be doing our job and that’s scoring runs,” Smith said.

“That’s all of our jobs. In an ideal world I think David said that’s when he’d like to finish up, but you’ve got to score runs, all of us, so we’ll just see what happens.”

Warner’s position in the Test XI is precarious. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

While the WTC final and Ashes are marquee events, the long-term future of Test cricket is shaky as the Indian Premier League and its offshoots continue to stockpile real estate on the game’s calendar. With leading players being courted for year-round contracts with IPL franchises, Smith said he was somewhat worried about what Test cricket would look like down the track.

“Yeah I am slightly concerned,” Smith said.

“But hopefully Test cricket still stays alive and well. I think it’s in a good place at the moment. Some of the games we’ve seen recently have been pretty amazing.

“So for me, as I suppose a traditionalist, someone who loves Test cricket, I hope it still remains at the front of all the boards’ minds and it stays alive and well for some time to come.”

Originally published as Steve Smith coy on future of his Test career ahead of Ashes, David Warner’s retirement