Spencer Horwitz is on the move for the second time in the same night.

The Cleveland Guardians traded Horwitz to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night in exchange for three pitchers: lefthander Josh Hartle, righthander Luis Ortiz, and lefthander Michael Kennedy.

Horwitz, the 27-year-old infielder, was only a Guardian for a few hours as he was sent to Cleveland in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays earlier Tuesday evening. Toronto acquired three-time Gold Glove-winning second baseman Andrés Giménez in the deal.

Horwitz played in 94 games for the Blue Jays last season and had a .790 OPS with 12 home runs. He should receive an opportunity to start for the Pirates in 2025, likely at first base.

The Bucs send their 17th-ranked prospect in Hartle to Cleveland in return. And Kennedy, a fourth-round pick by Pittsburgh in 2022, owns a 3.11 ERA over his minor-league career.

Ortiz, meanwhile, will join the Guardians' rotation that already features Tanner Bibee, Ben Lively and Gavin Williams. Ortiz registered a 3.32 ERA in 37 appearances (15 starts) for the Pirates last season.

MLB's new ball-strike challenge system can't get much closer than this.

During a matchup between the Seattle Mariners and Cleveland Guardians on Monday, Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford struck out looking on a high slider from Emmanuel Clase. Crawford didn't agree with the call and challenged it using MLB's experimental ABS system. The result was remarkable.

That is as close as you can get to being a ball while still being in the strike zone. It genuinely scrapes the top of the zone by a matter of millimeters.

Still, despite Crawford's disappointment, it appears the ABS challenge system has been a wild success during spring training. The players have adapted quickly, as have the umpires and fans appreciate that bad calls are being corrected.

Antoine Griezmann has opened up about the "mental" toll of Atletico Madrid's collapse in La Liga and the Champions League last season, admitting his "spirits plummeted" during the difficult month of March. However, following his contract renewal until 2027, the French forward is determined to achieve more with the club, targeting major trophies and aiming to finally exorcise the demons of his 2016 Champions League final penalty miss.

• Griezmann reveals mental struggle after Atletico's collapse

  Atletico Madrid's all-time leading scorer, Griezmann, has candidly discussed the psychological impact of his team's slump during the crucial final months of last season. Speaking to , the 34-year-old forward admitted that Atletico's fading challenge in both La Liga and the Champions League in March affected him deeply. Diego Simeone's team entered the month top of the Spanish league table with a two-point lead over Barcelona and Real Madrid. They were also gearing up for a round of 16 tie against their city rivals in the Champions League. Unfortunately for the Rojiblancos, their season capitulated in just over two weeks. They lost 2-1 to Madrid in the first-leg before suffering a league blow by going down to Getafe by the same scoreline. Despite a strong second-leg against Real, they were defeated in a controversial penalty shootout. Four days later, they lost to Barcelona and then drew with Espanyol. By the end of March, they were out of the Champions League and nine points behind eventual La Liga champions Barcelona.

  "It was very tough for me mentally," Griezmann revealed. "Because I had so much hope, so many dreams, and March wasn't a good month for anyone; we lost La Liga and the Champions League. And my spirits plummeted, it hurt me a lot mentally, and that affected my game later on."

  Griezmann confessed that this "mental pain" distracted him from his individual pursuit of his 200th goal for the club, a milestone he eventually achieved. "I wasn't overwhelmed, but it's true that it felt like a long process. Especially last year at the end of the season, when I wasn't focused on pursuing it," he explained. "When the 200th goal arrived and I got closer, in the end the goals just came."

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  French forward aims for 'more' after contract renewal

  Despite already cementing his legacy at Atletico with 203 goals in 461 matches and surpassing club legend Luis Aragones, Griezmann has no intention of resting on his laurels. Having recently renewed his contract until 2027, he is driven by a desire to achieve even "more" with the club he considers home.

  "I want more: La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the Champions League with Atletico," he added. Explaining his decision to extend his deal early, Griezmann stated: "Because I want more. I still have many minutes left to play, plenty of legs and mental strength to play with and be someone important at the club. And I know I have to prove that to everyone, and I still want to be even more important."

  Griezmann also acknowledged his changing role within Simeone's side this season, where he has been rotated more frequently. "Ultimately, you always want to play. But I understand that I have to be professional, that I have to set an example for all my teammates and then show the manager that I'm still ready to play, that I have everything I need to play and earn a place in the starting eleven," he said. 

  So far in the 2025-26 La Liga season, he has made 12 appearances, scoring four goals.

• Champions League redemption and persuading Julian Alvarez

  A significant part of Griezmann's motivation stems from a desire to finally win the Champions League with Atletico and atone for his penalty miss in the 2016 final against Real Madrid in Milan. Losing 1-0 at San Siro, Griezmann had the chance to pull his side level shortly after the restart but saw his effort smack the bar. The game went on to end 1-1, but Atletico lost on penalties, with Griezmann netting his that time around.

  "Yes, you always think about it," he admitted regarding the miss. "The thorn of the penalty in Milan will remain until I win the Champions League with Atletico."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  What next for Griezmann and Atletico Madrid?

  Griezmann will aim to translate his renewed determination into performances on the pitch as Atletico Madrid chase success in La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League. Despite ongoing speculation linking him with a future move to MLS, which he acknowledges as a "dream" and "goal," his immediate focus remains firmly on Atletico. With his contract now running until 2027, the French forward has committed his short-to-medium-term future to the club, aiming to add more silverware to his collection and further solidify his legendary status at the Metropolitano.

Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill has declared that the weight of expectation lies firmly on Italy’s shoulders as his young side prepare for a daunting 2026 World Cup play-off semi-final away to the four-time champions. The March showdown in Italy on 26 March will mark the first step on what could be a remarkable path back to football’s grandest stage for both nations.Should Northern Ireland conjure an upset, they will face either Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina five days later in a decisive, winner-takes-all play-off final for a coveted ticket to North America.

Two teams with ghosts of tournaments past

Italy’s recent record in World Cup qualifiers is nothing short of astonishing for a global heavyweight. They have missed the last two tournaments, Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, both exits sealed by devastating play-off defeats and the Azzurri have not reached the finals since Brazil 2014. Northern Ireland’s own wait is even longer, stretching almost 40 years, but O’Neill believes that his side’s recent away performances prove they should not be dismissed. Despite away losses in Germany and Slovakia during the group phase, O’Neill believes that his players showed the resilience and quality needed to trouble elite opposition.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportO'Neill ready to take the fight to Italy

Northern Ireland qualified for the play-offs through their Nations League ranking despite finishing behind Germany and Slovakia in their World Cup qualifying group.

However, an upbeat O'Neill told reporters: "It's difficult to win away in international football and that is something this team still has to develop, but I take a lot of encouragement from the performances in Cologne and Slovakia where we were challenged and were missing key players in those games. We still gave a really good account of ourselves and were in the game in Germany for 70, 75 minutes. We were in the game in Slovakia right to the end and felt a little bit aggrieved by the nature of that result."

O'Neill wants his troops to turn the pressure dial up on an Italian squad already grappling with expectation and scrutiny.

"We have to make the game as difficult as possible for Italy and it will be difficult for them with the expectation they carry into the game," he said. "If we can add to that with how we play the game and the level of our performance, then who knows. We have an opportunity to go to a World Cup and we have to do everything possible to try to take it. What I will say to them is 'don't waste the opportunity'."

O'Neill wary of task ahead

The looming possibility of a third consecutive World Cup absence is unthinkable for a nation with Italy’s pedigree. Their previous two failures came in the most painful manner imaginable, play-off losses to Sweden in 2018 and a shocking defeat to North Macedonia in 2022. But O’Neill believes it is vital for his squad to avoid becoming distracted by Italy’s anxieties.

"The Italian team of now is not going to be the Italian team of eight years ago," he said.

"Not all their players are going to carry the burden of having been unsuccessful in play-off games. As a nation, they carry that burden, and the expectation of their crowd will be that they go to a World Cup. They have won it four times and are one of the heavyweights of world football, but those things are out of our control and our focus will be on how we are."

O'Neill expects a passionate Italian side to take the pitch and added: "Italy away is going to be a massive game, a great game for us to be involved in. The expectation and pressure is very much on the Italians, so we will need to use that in our favour. I know they've lost home and away to Norway and the bulk of their squad is based in Serie A. Gattuso is their manager, so you will expect them not to be lacking in passion.

"We have four months to prepare for this and look at Italy in close detail, so the work will start today and tomorrow. I suppose we would have preferred one of the other teams in Pot One, but to get to the World Cup, you're going to have to beat two good teams."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportA defining moment awaits both nations

Two countries with proud football histories now stand on the brink of either redemption or renewed despair. For O’Neill and his young squad, belief is growing. However, for Italy, the stakes could not be higher, as another failure to qualify for the World Cup would be a dark spot. Gattuso has won the golden trophy wearing a blue jersey, and now it remains to be seen if he can inspire them to the main event after more than a decade. 

تلقى نادي بيراميدز خطابًا رسميًا من الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم “كاف”، يحدد خلاله موعد وطاقم التحكيم المكلف بإدارة مواجهة الفريق أمام باور ديناموز الزامبي، ضمن منافسات دور المجموعات من دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

ويستمر بيراميدزحامل اللقب في مشواره القاري ضمن المجموعة الأولى، التي تضم كلًا من باور ديناموز، نهضة بركان المغربي، وريفرز يونايتد النيجيري.

وكان الفريق قد حقق بداية قوية بعدما افتتح المجموعة بفوز عريض على ريفرز يونايتد بثلاثة أهداف دون رد، حملت توقيع المهاجم أحمد عاطف قطة. موعد مباراة بيراميدز وباور ديناموز في دوري أبطال إفريقيا

حدد “كاف” يوم السبت 29 نوفمبر، في تمام الساعة السادسة مساءً، موعدًا للمواجهة المرتقبة التي تجمع بيراميدز بمضيفه باور ديناموز، والمقرر إقامتها على ملعب ليفي موانواسا بمدينة ندولا الزامبية، ضمن الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات.

طالع أيضًا | ترتيب مجموعة بيراميدز في دوري أبطال إفريقيا بعد الفوز على ريفرز يونايتد حكم مباراة بيراميدز وباور ديناموز في دوري أبطال إفريقيا

أسند الاتحاد الإفريقي إدارة اللقاء لطاقم تحكيم صومالي بقيادة الدولي عمر عبد القادر أرتان، ويعاونه كل من:

حمزة حاجي (مساعد أول)

سليمان بشير (مساعد ثانٍ)

عبد الفتاح سعد (حكم رابع)

كما تم تعيين نورمان ماتميرا من زيمبابوي مراقبًا للمباراة، وموريمي إزيكيل من جنوب إفريقيا منسقًا عامًا، بينما يتولى جاميل مباجي من أوغندا مسؤولية الأمن، وماتميدا نكونجي من زامبيا مهمة الإشراف على البث التلفزيوني.

The international break is something of a blessing and a curse for Arsenal.

On the one hand, it gives the club respite from their current injury crisis, but on the other, they have to wait two weeks to make amends for the draw away to Sunderland.

However, even though they saw their lead cut on Sunday evening, Mikel Arteta’s side are in a great spot in the Premier League.

Moreover, despite injuries, the side is full to bursting with talent, including one player who’s starting to look like another Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The latest on Lewis-Skelly's future at Arsenal

It would be fair to say that, aside from their run in the Champions League, last season was something of a disappointment for Arsenal.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, there were at least a couple of positives to come from it, such as the emergence of Ethan Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly.

The latter was more of a surprise to most, and yet over the course of the campaign, he became a far more significant part of the side, effectively becoming Arteta’s first-choice left-back.

In fact, by the end of the season, the 19-year-old had made 39 first-team appearances, totalling 2306 minutes, and even made his full debut for England, during which he scored.

However, so far this season has been a totally different story for the youngster, as while he has still made 12 appearances, only four of those have been starts, and overall, he has played just 463 minutes of action.

During the last international break, Thomas Tuchel said that this lack of game time could result in him not picking the Islington-born ace.

Unfortunately, that’s what’s happened this international break.

Lewis-Skelly’s Arsenal record
Season	24/25	25/26
Appearances	39	12
Starts	26	4
Minutes	2306′	463′
Goals	1	0
Assists	2	3
All Stats via Transfermarkt

Unsurprisingly, this has led to reports that other Premier League clubs are now interested in signing the youngster in the winter transfer window.

However, the same reports make it clear that Arteta and Co are keen to keep the Hale Ender at the club, and that they expect him to play more minutes as the season progresses.

With that said, if Arsenal do decide to cash in, they do have another youngster in the side who is showing shades of Lewis-Skelly in his game.

Arsenal's new Lewis-Skelly

Even though Riccardo Calafiori and Pieiro Hincapie are his competition at left-back, the Arsenal player who is showing shades of Lewis-Skelly in his game this season is Cristhian Mosquera.

Now, that might sound like a leap to begin with, but “similarly to Lewis-Skelly,” per analyst Ben Mattinson, the Spaniard has shown an immense level of “physical maturity for his age.”

More than that, though, the 21-year-old has also shown a remarkable mental maturity, which was on full display when he came on and played almost the whole game away to Liverpool, and then started the club’s opening Champions League game against Athletic Bilbao.

While he may have been described as a “monster” by Gunners insider Hand of Arsenal, where most young defenders would need their hand held by a senior teammate or go crashing into ridiculous challenges, the former Valencia gem is thoughtful about when he goes in for a tackle or block.

However, that’s not to say he is adverse to the more physical side of the game, as, just like Lewis-Skelly, he is someone who “loves to battle with physical attackers,” according to Mattinson.

Moreover, while most fans and pundits alike expected the exciting youngster to play a minor role this season, the Valencia-born titan is following in the Hale Ender’s footsteps from last season and playing a far more significant role than most predicted.

For example, he has already made 12 appearances, five of which have been starts, totalling 597 minutes.

Finally, like the Englishman, he is not solely limited to playing a single position, as in addition to playing at centre-back, he can do a job at right-back.

Ultimately, there are some differences between them, but in terms of mentality, raw ability, and attitude, there are plenty of similarities between Mosquera and Lewis-Skelly.

After Dowman: Hale End has given Arsenal a future star who's "like Vieira"

The incredible prospect could be another Max Dowman-style star for Arsenal.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 12, 2025

Liverpool are reportedly continuing to eye a move for Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Vitinha, in what could be a stunning piece of transfer business.

The 25-year-old has matured into one of the best midfielders in the world currently, proving to be a key figure in PSG’s Champions League triumph last season and being hailed by former Portugal international Pedro Miguel Pauleta.

“It’s a huge pleasure to watch players of this quality. Is he the best midfielder in the world? He’s at a huge level, like Pedri at Barca. They remind me of Iniesta. Vitinha, he doesn’t lose the ball, he’s always well positioned. He knows how to do everything with the ball. He doesn’t make a mistake and doesn’t miss a pass. He has the confidence of his club. He’s a phenomenon.”

Vitinha has been linked with a move to Liverpool in recent days, with one report even claiming that they are willing to table a monster £132m offer for him.

He is contracted with PSG until the summer of 2029, so big money will clearly be needed to prise him away, and a new claim has now emerged regarding the Reds’ interest in him.

How much PSG could sell Vitinha for amid Liverpool interest

According to Caught Offside, Liverpool are “keeping a close eye” on Vitinha ahead of a potential move, with Reds scouts identifying him as “one of the most technically gifted midfielders in Europe”. Arsenal and Juventus are also in the mix.

The report adds that the Portugal star “fits the kind of profile that Liverpool have sought since the departure of Thiago”, in terms of his quality in tight areas and ability to dictate midfield battles. It is stated that an offer of around £115m could tempt PSG into selling – £18m cheaper than the above claim.

The idea of Liverpool signing Vitinha is a mouthwatering prospect, considering his status as a world-class footballer who is coming into the prime years of his career.

While the Reds are well-stocked in the middle of the park currently, the form of Alexis Mac Allister is a concern this season, with the Argentine looking jaded after playing so much football in recent years.

Granted, he is still only 26, so this is hopefully just a dip in form after injury problems, but he has also been linked with a move to Real Madrid and may need to be replaced at some point.

Related More than Wirtz: £36m Liverpool star is becoming a "serious issue" for Slot

Liverpool were condemned to a fifth defeat in six Premier League matches at the Etihad.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Nov 10, 2025

Either way, Liverpool should never pass up the opportunity to sign a player of Vitinha’s calibre, and the fact that he has some Premier League experience from his time at Wolves can only be a good thing.

FSG have signed a "Rolls-Royce" who could end Konate's Liverpool career

Southampton return to action in the Championship this weekend as they prepare to travel to Charlton on Saturday, and they appear no closer to appointing a permanent successor to Will Still.

TalkSPORT recently claimed that Sport Republic are ‘seriously considering’ appointing current interim manager Tonda Eckert on a permanent basis, after his first two matches in the dugout.

The 32-year-old head coach is set to lead the team out for a third game against Charlton this weekend, and another win would do his chances of landing the role no harm.

Why Southampton should not appoint Tonda Eckert

Eckert deserves credit for providing the team with an instant boost after Still’s departure, as he masterminded a 2-1 win over QPR and a 3-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship.

However, it may not be the right time to appoint him as the permanent head coach because of his lack of experience in first-team management in his career so far.

Eckert had only ever been an assistant manager before his move to join the U21s as their head coach this summer, and he managed nine Premier League 2 matches before his two senior games as the current interim, per Transfermarkt.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

This means that Southampton have no evidence available to judge what an Eckert team will look like in 15, 20, or 30 games, or if he has the first-team coaching ability to lead a promotion push.

Earlier this month, Michael Carrick was named as a reported contender for the job, and hiring the former Middlesbrough boss could end the Eckert experiment at St. Mary’s.

Why Southampton should hire Michael Carrick

Unlike the German interim, Carrick would arrive on the south coast with bundles of Championship experience as a manager, which may be what the Saints need right now.

The former Manchester United midfielder, who was hailed as an “insanely talented coach” by former Boro player Lukas Engel, has been out of work since moving on from Middlesbrough at the end of last season.

Carrick also has the specific experience of taking over a team in a similar position to the one that Southampton are in now and leading them to a play-off finish, as that is what he did with Boro in the 2022/23 campaign.

Matches

16

30

Wins

4

18

Draws

5

4

Losses

7

8

Points

17

58

Points per game

1.06

1.93

League position

18th

4th

As you can see in the table above, the 4-2-3-1 tactician took over with Middlesbrough after they had a dismal start to the season, in 18th place, and led them to fourth and the play-offs.

Southampton are currently 17th after 15 matches, with 18 points on the board, which means that Carrick would arrive in an incredibly similar situation at St. Mary’s. This could make him the ideal candidate for the job, as he has very specific experience for the job that is required.

Some supporters may see that he finished 10th and eighth in his last two seasons with Boro, but the underlying numbers behind those two campaigns suggest that he was let down by his squad.

League finish

8th

10th

xPTS (Expected league finish)

73 (5th)

71 (6th)

xG

69.5

67.4

xGA

55.0

56.4

xGD

+14.5

+11.3

As you can see in the table above, Boro ranked inside the top six for xPTS in both of those seasons, suggesting that their performances were of a play-off calibre, but the players did not make the most of those performances to pick up the results needed.

This is why Southampton should not be put off by Carrick’s ‘failure’ to get Boro in the play-offs in the last two seasons, and is further evidence that he could be a major upgrade on the inexperienced Eckert.

Southampton can land Still upgrade by hiring manager who's won 13 trophies

Southampton could land an upgrade on Will Still by hiring this 4-3-3 manager.

ByDan Emery Nov 12, 2025

Therefore, the out-of-work English manager could be the perfect hire for Southampton for the position that they currently find themselves in, as he has the coaching ability and experience to drive the team back up the table to fight for the play-offs.

He feels it’s “going to be a constant challenge” for a modern-day player to maintain the same levels of fitness all year

Ashish Pant07-Sep-2025

It’s been over a non-stop 11 months of cricket for Shardul Thakur•PA Photos/Getty Images

Fast bowler Shardul Thakur believes players are being “taken for granted” with respect to workload, and that it is “going to be a constant challenge” for a modern-day cricketer to maintain the same levels of fitness all year long with the amount of cricket being played.”A lot of times we are taken for granted and the management is not to the highest level,” Thakur said on the final day of the Duleep Trophy semi-final in Bengaluru. “No one actually comes and asks us how our body feels after playing for so many months. But yes, I have been managing my body with physios, S&Cs [Strength & Conditioning coach], doing constant work.”And it’s about playing cricket. I’m not saying that you keep pulling yourself out from playing the games. But frequent breaks here and there are good for the body.”It’s been over 11 months of non-stop cricket for Thakur. It started with the Irani Trophy in October last year. He then played the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season, Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Initially going unsold, he joined Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2025 as an injury replacement, following which he played two tour games for India A against England Lions and was part of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.Related

Duleep semi-finals: Gaikwad the standout as India's international stars struggle for form

After difficult Test debut, Kamboj returns with a display of quiet control

Sindhu spins, bats and dreams on in marathon Duleep shift

Dubey's 'positive mindset' helps Central Zone secure first-innings lead

Players’ workload management has been in focus in the last few years. Recently, Jasprit Bumrah played only in three of the five Tests in the tour of England to manage his workload. Thakur believes it should be up to the players on how they manage their fitness and workloads, but said it shouldn’t be on their minds during a game.”Once you enter the game, you can’t be talking about workload management because then the game situation also takes over,” he said. “When you go into the game, you’re expected to give your best. Whatever you have in your tank, you have to give it all.”And I believe you shouldn’t be shying away from coming in and hitting the deck hard in the game, keep doing those efforts. Yes, when you go out of the ground and when you’re resting back home or you have those breaks in between the game, that’s where you try to manage your bodies and try to manage your load.”If you’re not having too much load in the game, then of course you can push yourself in the nets also. But if you’re having a big amount of load in the game, then you can take it a little bit easy in the nets.”Shardul Thakur ‘open’ to captain MumbaiThakur began the 2025-26 domestic season as West Zone captain in the Duleep Trophy semi-final, the first time he was leading a team in first-class cricket. It was a tough initiation as West Zone failed to progress to the final, with Central Zone going through after a first-innings lead.But the experience of leading the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer and Ruturaj Gaikwad has given him enough confidence to be a leader, particularly with the Mumbai captaincy up for grabs after Ajinkya Rahane stepped down from the role earlier this year.”Yes, I am open for the [Mumbai] captaincy,” Thakur said. “And of course, this was one of the steps where I get that experience of captaincy. It was just my first game and there were a lot of learnings. I wouldn’t say that captaincy is difficult, but there are a lot of things which you learn only when you step into the captain’s shoes.”With the Ranji Trophy season starting from October 15, Thakur has urged curators to produce “sporting pitches” where the fast bowlers can also come into play, unlike the one in the semi-final. Thakur bowled just 11 of the 164.3 overs in the West Zone innings. Arzan Nagwaswalla bowled 14.3 and Tushar Deshpande 17. The rest of the 122 overs were shared between the spinners.”The spinners were in the play all the time. There was not much for fast bowlers [in the pitch],” Thakur said. “And it’s always going to be a sort of complaint when we play domestic cricket across the country that we don’t get enough pitches where fast bowlers could come and bowl 40 overs in a game.”Being a fast bowler, I expect that there should be more pitches where the game is even for fast bowlers, for batters and spinners.”

The Australia A tour of India will mark the start of Konstas’ season before a defining month of Sheffield Shield cricket for New South Wales

AAP09-Sep-20250:27

Konstas gone for duck as tough Caribbean tour ends

Sam Konstas doesn’t care for regrets or critics. And by putting himself on a self-imposed social media ban, the teenager hunting an opening spot in a home Ashes series has ensured he will hear as little of the latter as possible.The 19-year-old is set to play two four-day matches in India for Australia A before targeting four Sheffield Shield games for New South Wales with a goal of finding the red-ball form that eluded him on a tough tour of the West Indies.Whatever happens in the next two months, you can be sure the charismatic young gun won’t be giving two hoots over what outsiders say about his approach.Related

Australia's Ashes questions: Open season, two allrounders, four quicks?

Konstas trusting advice of his 'inner circle' ahead of Ashes push

'Unbelievable' Archer primed for Ashes impact, says McCullum

Konstas dazzled the cricket world on Boxing Day last year against India on Test debut with a flamboyant and audacious 60 off 65 balls. Critics said he would not be able to play that way on a regular basis and succeed.Runs have since proven elusive and Konstas did not pass 25 in his next nine Test innings.  He is competing with a plethora of candidates to partner Usman Khawaja for the opening Ashes Test in Perth but has no regrets about his approach on debut against Jasprit Bumrah and company.”I wouldn’t change it,” Konstas told AAP. “I don’t have any regrets in my life to be honest. I thought that was the right method at the time and it paid off. I don’t get too fixated about what others say. Whatever I feel is right I totally commit to.”My method is someone who is an aggressive batsman that likes to take on the game, while understanding the game situation when I do play well. It is about trying to score runs and win games.”The more experiences I have in different conditions the more I will adapt. I have to find my method and what works best in each situation.”What also works best for Konstas is not having social media. He went from a relative unknown to a global attraction overnight with 281,000 followers on Instagram. Watching the ball and not his phone screen is now the focus.”I never had social media until I was 18. I had it for a year and now I have taken a break from it to be more present and try and get back in the Ashes squad,” Konstas said. “It is just about focusing on myself and trying to give it a good crack.”Everyone uses social media differently but I feel now is the right time to get off it. I don’t read my comments on Instagram. I don’t care what other people say to be honest but everyone has their opinion.”Konstas heads to India with confidence and valuable lessons already under his belt.”I’ve had a few experiences in the subcontinent,” Konstas said prior to taking centre stage at Tuesday’s ASICS kit launch at the SCG. “I was lucky enough to be in the MRF Academy last year and to tour Sri Lanka as well with the Aussie boys. Hopefully I can score plenty of runs and adapt to those conditions.”It is about trying to be in the present moment with any game I play whether it be my club team, NSW or Australia A ahead of the Ashes.”I got so much out of my first time in the Caribbean and facing a quality fast attack. The wickets were tough to bat on.For me it was about trying to find methods for scoring runs in those conditions and understanding the bounce is variable and trying to find another method, if I do go again.”