The 2027 Ashes is already in the headlines, and Steve Smith continues to stir the pot. No one expected him to question his test future. But the English duo of Stuart Broad and Jos Buttler couldn’t be happier.
What Did Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler Say About Steve Smith’s Ashes Statement?
Broad and Buttler, appearing on their “For The Love Of Cricket,” dished out a mix of high praise, disbelief, and typical dressing-room banter. It’s psychological torture trying to get Smith out. These two know it very well.
Broad wouldn’t mind Smith skipping the Ashes altogether and instead shifting his attention to the 2028 LA Olympics. He said, “Yeah, get him in the Olympics team. More than happy for Steve Smith to not play the Ashes… I think gold medal, Steve. Gold medal.”
Classy tongue-in-cheek statement. But not without sheer exhaustion at how good the right-hander has been. Test average of 53.9 and 37 centuries just barely reveal his calibre.
Buttler knows that pain all too well. He stood behind the stumps while Smith dismantled the English attack in the 2019 Ashes. With 774 runs at an astronomical average of 110.57.
“Don’t come to England and just save yourself the Olympics… I would say that judging by that 2019 Ashes we played, where he was batting on a different wicket to everybody else,” Buttler noted.
Broad didn’t mince words about Smith’s talent, declaring bluntly, “He’s a joke. He’s unbelievable.”
So, Smith casting a shadow of uncertainty over his availability might only uplift England’s spirits. For now, Australia shifts the focus to South Africa’s tour. Meanwhile, the discourse in English cricket is about Ashes ticket prices and the commitment to the fans.
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