Australian greats Mark Waugh and Brad Haddin have raised the possibility of Steve Smith making an abrupt retirement call in light of the stand-in skipper's recent comments.
The 34-year-old has dropped subtle hints in recent months that his time at the international level might be coming to an end, particularly during the most recent Australian Test summer.
Smith stunned the cricket world in January when he refused to say whether he'd play another Test on home soil, suggesting he was taking it one tour at a time.
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It prompted Waugh to question whether Smith's retirement was closer than people may think.
"It's interesting because a few times Steve Smith has mentioned retirement on this tour down the line," Waugh said on Fox Cricket's coverage of the fourth Test against India.
"It wouldn't surprise me if he just gives up overnight."
"I'm with you, Junior," Haddin added.
"He also said it in the Australian summer. He said a couple of times, 'I haven't got as many games as people think I've got left in me', so worrying signs."
If Smith retires within the next 12 months, it is highly likely to coincide with David Warner's retirement, with the 36-year-old's career hanging by a thread.
"It looks at the moment that they're (Warner and Smith's retirements) not going to be too far apart," Waugh said.
"I hope he (Smith) doesn't (retire). I think he's still a great player and he's got years left in front of him, but at the end of the day, he's a quirky character."
While Smith has been the most dominant batter of his generation, his production has slipped of late, although it's still more than acceptable.
In 24 Tests between 2020 and 2023, Smith's average of 49.03 is well below his career mark of 59.74 and pales when compared to his incredible average of 72.02 in 56 Tests between 2014 in 2019, a period in which he pounded 24 of his 30 Test centuries.
After scoring three centuries on the tour of India in 2017, Smith has struggled this time on tougher wickets, failing to score a half-century in six innings.
He was dismissed for 38 off 135 deliveries on day one of the fourth Test, being bowled by India's Ravindra Jadeja in the final session.
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