Cape Town presents new glimpse of life after Smith

In Gqeberha ahead of the second Test, Pat Cummins downplayed the prospect of Steve Smith pulling the pin on his sparkling career, suggesting a "grand exit" need not always be planned, even for the greats.   

Coach Andrew McDonald, speaking earlier this week, expanded on Australia's view of the tour-by-tour basis Smith plays on these days: "I don't think it's unusual for a player at that age to be always reviewing at the end of a series around where they're at. 

"As much (as there is) for Starcy (Mitchell Starc) and Scotty Boland, there's a checkpoint at the end of the year where it's like, 'Hey, can I go on? and 'Am I contributing to the team?' and we have that conversation – it's a rolling conversation."

While Australia's leaders are openly considering life after a legend, none will want Smith's miserable lead-in to the finale of this epic campaign to mark the end. 

As he watched Australia's attack toil on Tuesday – and then, remarkably, skittle South Africa for only 329 – Smith surely pined to be fit enough to have gotten his own chance to bat in absolutely ideal batting conditions. 

Instead, on day two of their return to Newlands eight years on from Smith's last Test as their full-time captain, Australia will get a glimpse into a future in which they must make their top-order function without him.

"It'll be a big loss, no doubt, when he goes to fill the space of runs there," said McDonald. "It's probably going to be more of a collective to bridge the gap between a player that's averaged 55 and whoever comes in – and not putting the expectations on that player that replaces him at four to be able to do that."

At Smith's best, batting – whether at training, in the T20 format he is increasingly locked in on, or in the middle of a Test match – is a joyful experience. There is an ever-present satisfaction at trying to solve whatever new tactic has been designed to stop him, as if unpicking a difficult crossword clue over a cup of coffee.  

But pleasure has been in short supply on his South African sojourn. 

First, there was the helmet knock from a fierce Anrich Nortje bouncer in the opening Test. It did not concuss him, but he later conceded the fear of suffering a recurrence of such symptoms had left him anxious.

Outside of a series batting average of 20.75 that goes down as the third worst of his career, Smith's major source of angst leading into this Third Test has been a neck injury. 

The niggle, believed to have been troubling him as early as August's Tests against Bangladesh, has now degenerated to the point where he appeared to rule himself out of this week's Test. 

Two days out from his first Test back at Newlands since 2018, Smith faced around 20 minutes of gentle throwdowns with the team physiotherapist timing his practice hit to ensure it did not go any longer. He left the nets content enough; he looked to be tracking towards resuming his spot in the middle order.

But, on match eve, his frustration at being unable to go about his regular business bubbled over.

In a second nets stint after what appeared a reasonably promising first go, Smith kicked the crease multiple times in anger before packing up his gloves and helmet, then storming back all the way to the opposite end of the ground to Australia's changerooms.

The irritation at his predicament was obvious. Still, though, there was a push to get him right. 

"You don't play 100-odd Test matches without playing Test matches where you're not 100 per cent fit, so hopefully that's the case this week," Cummins said on Monday. "Even though he's probably not going to be 100 per cent, hopefully he can compartmentalise that, like he's done many times before with other things, and can come out and contribute like he does every week."

Then, on the morning of the third Test, Smith arrived at the ground much earlier than the rest of his teammates in one final bid to prove his fitness – to himself, seemingly, as much as the doctor, batting coach and selection boss who watched him. A heat pack was now attached to the left side of his neck. 

The sight of Bailey hot-footing it out of the nets area back towards the Aussie rooms – presumably to inform Josh Inglis (who arrived on the team bus with the bulk of the squad) he was playing instead – revealed the heat pack's effectiveness had been minimal.  

Smith trudged back across the ground and up to Australia's dressing rooms, where he spent most of a see-sawing first day watching on, his sunglasses unable to mask his disappointment.

As much as this week's contest shapes as one of Australia’s most important of recent times, there are more big Tests to come against New Zealand, India and England across the next nine months. There is no current suggestion Smith does not fancy a look at those series.

But when the curtain does come down on a career that has so far brought 127 Tests since his debut as a chubby leg-spinner 16 years ago and a batting average north of 55, Australia certainly want things to look different for Smith than they do right now.

"If the day comes where he does decide to retire, then we'll celebrate it – and hopefully it can be seen as a celebration rather than shifting to what's next," said McDonald. "Let's just sit in this moment of how good this player has been – arguably our greatest player of all time with the bat.

"I'm not ready for that moment yet, though."

Qantas tour of South Africa 2026

All matches to be broadcast exclusively in Australia on Kayo and Fox Cricket

First Test: Australia won by 214 runs

Second Test: South Africa won by an innings and 31 runs

Third Test: October 27-31, Newlands, Cape Town, 7:30pm AEDT (10:30am local)

South Africa Test squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster