Ashes: Australia's Steve Smith brushes off retirement speculations

Steve Smith (Pic: File Pic)

Australia's stand-in captain Steve Smith dismissed the retirement speculations ahead of the fifth and final Test match of the ongoing Ashes series at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Over the years, Smith has been regarded as one of the best batsmen of red-ball cricket.

Speaking about the retirement speculations, Smith said that he is taking it day by day and series by series. The cricketer also said that he is enjoying his game at the moment.

"I don't know. I don't know what I'm doing at the end of this week. I've said it for a while. I'm taking it day by day, series by series. We'll see where things land. I feel like I'm doing all right at the moment. I'm enjoying it. I'm contributing and having fun. There's no real end date for me, I suppose. I'm still playing. I'm enjoying it," he said during the pre-match press conference.

Further, he also said that as a veteran player, his role is to help the new players in the team and teach them the game of Test cricket.

"I think we've got a really good team. I think the team we've had over the last three or four years, obviously making two World Test Championship finals, different people have stood up at different times. It's never been one or two people just getting the job done. It's been shared across and guys have done great jobs throughout and I think that's what's made us a really good team. So it's been good to be a part of and, yeah, as an older player now, hopefully I can help some of the players coming through and help teach them the game of test cricket. I guess that's my role now," said the 36-year-old cricketer.

Additionally, after the conclusion of the fifth Test match, Australia's traditional opening batsman, Usman Khawaja, will retire from international cricket.

ENG vs AUS 5th Test: Venue and date of the match

The fifth and final Test match of the ongoing Ashes series is scheduled to be played from January 4 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Australia will look to seal the series 4-1, whereas the "Three Lions" will play for pride and try to end the series on a positive note.

(With ANI Inputs)