Steve Smith's South Africa tour future uncertain, says Cummins

Australian captain Pat Cummins expects strong performances from Steve Smith in South Africa but admits uncertainty over whether the 37-year-old will complete all 19 Tests in the next 10 months. Smith's future remains unclear beyond a series-by-series basis. Cummins noted Travis Head was appointed co-vice-captain in 2023 partly due to uncertainty about Smith's retirement timeline. Smith has shown particular motivation for this tour, eight years after the 2018 sandpaper scandal, similar to his 774-run performance in England in 2019. Smith's only stated long-term goal is making Australia's T20 squad for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Australia face a turning pitch in Durban against spinner Keshav Maharaj, with Cameron Green's injury potentially opening a spot for Cooper Connolly.