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Ramón e Emiliano Díaz são um capítulo do passado no Vasco da Gama. Nesta segunda-feira, a comissão técnica tentou realizar uma reunião no CT Moacyr Barbosa para formalizar o pedido de continuar no comenado do Cruz-Maltino. No entanto, foram informados por teleforne pelo CEO Lúcio Barbosa que a história da dupla argentina com o Vasco está encerrada. Com isso, nem mesmo uma despedida com o elenco aconteceu.

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Ao fim da goleada por 4 a 0 sofrida em São Januário diante do Cricíúma no Campeonato Brasileiro, Ramón e Emiliano Díaz comunicaram ao gerente de futebol Clauber Rocha a intenção de deixar o Vasco. Logo após, a comissão fez um pronunciamento no vestiário aonde comunicaram ao elenco, sob a observação da assessoria do Vasco, que estariam deixando o clube.

A direção do Vasco até tentou dissuadir Ramón e Emiliano Díaz da ideia de deixar o Vasco, mas a dupla se mostrou irredutível, até a conversa com o elenco. A reação dos jogadores, que “ficaram impactados” com a informação da saída, no entanto, mudou o panorama.

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A comissão argentina se arrependeu da decisão e tentou voltar atrás, no entanto, o comunicado já havia sido feito à torcida pela comunicação do clube e surpreendeu a comissão técnica. Tal situação causou irritação na dupla argentina e acarretou na explosiva coletiva de imprensa na qual Ramón e Emiliano disseram terem sido “demitidos pelo Twitter” e reclamaram defalta de respeito por parte do Vasco.

Já pelo lado do Vasco, a postura da comissão técnica iritou profundamente o comando do clube que entendeu que a decisão da dupla estava tomada e portanto seria definitiva. As falas na coletiva de imprensa colocaram a pá de cal no assunto e foram interpretadas como um ataque ao clube, já que Ramón e Emiliano expuseram o Vasco à uma expécie de crise institucional.

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BrasileirãoCampeonato BrasileiroEmiliano DíazFutebol BrasileiroRamón DíazVasco

England spinner starred at Lord’s last week, but reveals she ‘wasn’t sure’ she’d return from mental-health break

Valkerie Baynes22-Jul-2025Sophie Ecclestone has revealed she considered quitting cricket in the aftermath of the off-field drama surrounding England Women’s T20 World Cup and Ashes failures.Ecclestone missed the start of the international summer when England hosted West Indies, instead playing for Lancashire during the T20I series while she managed her comeback from a knee injury. She was then ruled out of the ODI series, citing the need to prioritise her wellbeing.Having returned for both white-ball series against India, Ecclestone spoke about the reasons surrounding her absence in a pre-match interview ahead of the third and final ODI at Chester-le-Street.She had come under fire during the Ashes in Australia, where England lost the points series 16-0, after Alex Hartley, the former England spinner turned broadcaster, said Ecclestone had refused to be interviewed by her on TV. Hartley also said she had been “given the cold shoulder” by England players since criticising their fitness following their group-stage exit from the T20 World Cup last October.”It was a tough time for me personally,” Ecclestone told Sky Sports in a pitch-side interview before play on Tuesday. “I tore my meniscus and I had a very sore knee, but I feel like personally I was so tired and so drained from the last few months.Related

• Onus on England to process lessons as India issue World Cup wake-up

• Nat Sciver-Brunt defends England after wife Katherine questions attitude

• Alex Hartley: Sophie Ecclestone 'refused TV interview' after Ashes loss

• Ecclestone to take time away from cricket to prioritise wellbeing

• Ecclestone, Bouchier in England ODI squad to face India

“As a cricketer, we don’t stop, we don’t get much time off and we go from franchise tournaments to England tournaments and it takes it out of you. I feel like during the West Indies series I wasn’t actually sure if I was going to come back and play cricket.”I was away from cricket and I cried to a few people, I cried to my dad, I get emotional now, but it was it was a tough time. But I feel like I’ve come out the other side now and I’m back playing cricket.”Ecclestone credited team-mates Lauren Bell and Alice Capsey, along with her family and friends for helping her return to the cricket field with “a smile on my face again”. That culminated in a Player-of-the-Match award for her 3 for 37 at Lord’s on Saturday, which helped England to an ODI series-levelling victory.Ecclestone disputed the use of the word “refusal” when it came to the infamous interview with Hartley, and appeared to take issue with the timing of the request to talk, suggesting that she wanted to concentrate on her warm-up.”It was a weird time,” Ecclestone said. “I feel like obviously that went down the wrong way, and a few things were said, and I was just concentrating on cricket at that moment.”A lot of things were being said which wasn’t ideal for me and it affected me quite a lot to be honest. It took a lot out of me. There were a lot of words being thrown around about me that I thought were untrue and it wasn’t very nice to hear.”I kind of had to put that to one side, and I did go off social media for a couple of weeks actually during the Ashes, just because it was affecting me quite a lot, what was being said. It wasn’t very nice but we’ve all learnt from that now and there’s a lot of feelings involved but we’re all over that now, and ready to move on.”Ecclestone went on to say that she believed misconceptions had emerged about her in the fallout from the incident.”I feel like a lot of words were being thrown around about me that weren’t true,” she said. “Just that I was really arrogant maybe, and that’s just not me as a person.”The word refusal was getting thrown around and that just wasn’t really true and some of the things people were saying about the team I didn’t really agree with, so it was hard to take for me and hard to take for the team.”Immediately after the Ashes, Clare Connor, managing director of England women’s cricket, described the interview situation as “an unfortunate incident that won’t happen again”.”Our players in general… embrace their media obligations,” Connor said. “It matters to them to be good role models for women’s cricket and the England women’s cricket team. As professional women’s cricket has developed at the rate that it has over recent years, that scrutiny is something that we will all have to embrace and accept.”Ecclestone acknowledged that women’s cricket being in the spotlight more than when she made her debut as a 17-year-old in 2016 was a positive thing and said she had learned from the experience, including the public’s reaction.”I was so surprised,” she said. “I feel like it got slightly blown out of proportion but it was no-one’s fault. It was hard at the time because I feel like I came out to my phone and had about 25,000 messages about something that had happened in the media and I was like, ‘well what’s happened?’ Then I came out and I saw it all, and I was just like, ‘wow like that’s mega.'”

Chelsea cruised to a 6-0 win over Austrian side St Polten on matchday three of the Women's Champions League league phase on Tuesday night, which included a landmark 150th goal scored by the club in European competition. Sonia Bompastor's Blues move up to second in the standings, at least for the next 24 hours, with Sam Kerr working hard and rewarded for her efforts.

Kerr lacked conviction with a great early chance only a few yards from goal, but Wieke Kaptein made sure to put a similar opportunity away to break the deadlock after 12 minutes. Naomi Girma's bundled would-be second for Chelsea just over half an hour in was chalked off due to Kerr being offside as she knocked the ball across goal to the American, but there was nothing wrong with Catarina Macario's low strike from the edge of the box just before the interval.

A top Schluter save denied Macario a quickfire third right after the restart. But Alyssa Thompson soon drew a penalty by bamboozling Izabela Krizaj, that Macario made no mistake converting. Thompson had a goal disallowed with Kerr again offside in the build-up.

Kerr kept at it and eventually got her reward with a well-taken goal to make it 4-0. A heavily deflected Lauren James effort on her return from four months out handed Chelsea a late fifth, officially recorded as an own goal. A heavily deflected Lauren James effort on her return from four months out handed Chelsea a late fifth, officially recorded as an own goal from Lisa Ebert, before Kerr’s second of the night wrapped up the 6-0 win.

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from the NV Arena…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Livia Peng (6/10):

  Standing in for the injured Hannah Hampton, although she may have got that nod anyway due to the Lionesses number one being rested on matchday one. Largely a spectator.

  Ellie Carpenter (8/10):

  Chelsea had so much of the ball in advanced areas it was the perfect opportunity to get forward, playing like an extra winger at times, and she laid on the early breakthrough for Kaptein with a smart cutback. Defensively strong too.

  Lucy Bronze (7/10):

  Obviously not known for playing at centre-back, but it was a repeat of the recent WSL win over London City Lionesses, affording Millie Bright and Nathalie Bjorn a rest after the Arsenal game.

  Naomi Girma (7/10):

  Didn't know much about she managed to get the ball in the back of the net, after an initial header came back off the post and rebounded in…not that it mattered because of an offside flag.

  Sandy Baltimore (7/10):

  Freed up to move higher up the pitch once Niamh Charles was brought on in the second half.

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  Midfield

  Catarina Macario (9/10):

  Always a threat with exceptional delivery in to the danger area from both set-pieces and open play. Finished her chance with great precision to double the lead at a key moment right before the break and showed composure from 12 yards to send Schluter the wrong way for 3-0. The width of a post away from a hat-trick after striking the woodwork with a late free-kick.

  Keira Walsh (7/10):

  Probably wishes opposing players would stop flying in on her ankles, after Arsenal's Victoria Pelova at the weekend and now Fanni Nagy here. hardly misplaced a pass all night to help exhaust St Polten.

  Wieke Kaptein (7/10):

  It was a case of a well-timed run that got her into the right place at the right time to score early on. Tidy on the ball throughout.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Attack

  Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (7/10):

  Ought to have made it 3-0 in first-half stoppage-time, but denied one-on-one by Carina Schluter's outstretched right foot. Otherwise a source of decent creativity on the right.

  Sam Kerr (9/10):

  This was her first start in almost two years – since December 2023 – after coming through injury hell. Got into the right positions constantly, but should have done better with an early opportunity and put a great headed chance wide. Eventually scored, setting the chance with a brilliant first touch, and arguably a sharper and more match-practiced version of Sam Kerr would have scored a hat-trick on another night.

  Alyssa Thompson (7/10):

  Won the second half penalty that really put the game beyond doubt and was unlucky that her goal was chalked off due to Kerr being offside.

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  Subs & Manager

  Veerle Buurman (6/10):

  A nice opportunity to give the Dutch teenager meaningful minutes, replacing Girma at half-time.

  Niamh Charles (8/10):

  A very impressive half hour.

  Lexi Potter (7/10):

  Another youngster to get a chance on the big stage.

  Sjoeke Nusken (6/10):

  Almost got a Chelsea seventh in stoppage time at the end, drawing a good save from Schluter.

  Lauren James (7/10):

  First Chelsea appearance since last season for the final 15 minutes. Deflected late shot goes down as a Lisa Ebert own goal.

  Sonia Bompastor (8/10):

  Kept key players Millie Bright, Nathalie Bjorn and Erin Cuthbert on the bench to provide at least some rest, and made good use of the wider squad. The result never really should have been in doubt.

Gio Reyna earned a surprise start and made an immediate impact for the U.S. men’s national team, scoring inside four minutes against Paraguay during the November 2025 international window. The goal was his first for the USMNT since March 2024 and came in his first appearance since March 2025, marking a key step in his return to the squad.

Getty Images SportReyna’s goal highlights a promising return

The goal was created by wing back Max Arfsten, who advanced down the right side before sending a chipped cross into the box. Reyna rose above defenders to head the ball off the underside of the crossbar and over the line, giving the USMNT an early advantage. The strike came after an extended period in which Reyna had been limited by injuries and reduced club minutes.

AdvertisementWatch the goalGettyImpact on team dynamics and attacking options

Reyna’s return adds an experienced attacking option to the squad as the U.S. continues preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. His goal highlighted his ability to link play and contribute in key moments after an extended absence from the national team.

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Getty ImagesLooking ahead to World Cup preparations

Following the match against Paraguay, the USMNT will face Uruguay on Nov. 18.

Rumoured Celtic manager target Craig Bellamy has shared praise for one Hoops player who has impressed under Martin O’Neill.

Celtic linked with shock Bellamy move

The Hoops are yet to appoint Brendan Rodgers’ permanent successor, with O’Neill steadying the ship with wins over Falkirk and Rangers.

The Irishman booked Celtic’s place in the Scottish League Cup final at the weekend and there have been class he could stay on until the end of the current campaign due to his relationship with Dermot Desmond.

Wales boss Bellamy has been one of numerous managers linked with the full-time vacancy, though, with those at Parkhead even weighing up contact at the end of October.

Celtic can make Tierney completely unplayable by hiring 4-2-3-1 manager

Bellamy has even spoken out on the rumours of a move to Glasgow, saying: “It’s not on my radar – and it won’t be on my radar. I can understand the links because I played there, [now] I’m coaching, so I definitely understand the links.

“But to me, I love what I’m doing at this present moment. I have to be honest, I’m completely focused on what’s to come. It looks it’s going to be a play-off in March, we know that and to me, that’s all I’m focused on and I know it’s a little bit cliched, but it’s the honest truth.

“I couldn’t want for anything more than what I have at this present moment and that’s where it lies with me.”

Bellamy shares praise for Celtic teenager Callum Osmand

Bellamy also expressed his disappointment that he could not consider Celtic teenager Callum Osmand for Wales selection after a change in the rules around the eligibility of players from the Channel Islands.

Jersey-born forward Osmand was capped by Wales at Under-16 and Under-17 level when players from the Channel Islands were able to represent any of the four Home Nations.

But a change in the rules means players from the Channel Islands – British Crown Dependencies who are not full FIFA or UEFA members – are now only eligible to play for England, and Osmand’s Wales career is at an end as he has no Welsh heritage.

Osmand made a dramatic impact since Celtic interim managers O’Neill and Shaun Maloney came in.

He made his senior debut in Celtic’s 4-0 win over Falkirk and netted his first goal for the club in Sunday’s 3-1 Hampden victory over Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final. The 19-year-old has even been added to Celtic’s Europa League squad.

حرض توني فريكسا، المدير التنفيذي السابق لنادي برشلونة، إدارة بطل الدوري الإسباني على اتخاذ أي إجراءات ضرورية ضد النجم لامين يامال، حال خروج الأمور المتعلقة به عن السيطرة.

وواجه لامين يامال الكثير من المشاكل مؤخرًا، بسبب تصريحاته الإعلامية وحرصه على استفزاز خصومه بشكل مستمر، عبر مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي، قبل المباريات الكبرى.

ويرى الكثيرون أن الضجيج المنتشر حول لامين يامال قد أثر على مستواه بشكل سلبي في الفترة الأخيرة، حيث إنه لا يقدم أداءً مشابهًا لما كان عليه في الموسم الماضي.

اقرأ أيضًا.. رد فعل ريال مدريد تجاه تصريحات لابورتا الساخرة من فلورنتينو بيريز

وقال فريكسا في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية: “لو كان لامين ابني، لقلت له إنه ليس بالمستوى الذي يُقال عنه، سأقول له استمر في العمل الجاد ولا تُصدق أي شيء تسمعه، ركز فقط على كرة القدم”، مؤكدًا على ضرورة حمايته ومنع الضجيج الإعلامي من تشويه مسيرته.

وأضاف: “إذا كان لدى لامين أي مشكلة تحتاج إلى معالجة، فعلينا مساعدته، نظريًا إذا وصل الأمر إلى حد لا يمكن فيه حل هذه المشكلة، فهذه ليست نهاية العالم، سيستمر برشلونة”.

وترى صحيفة “سبورت” أن فريكسا ترك الباب مفتوحًا بتلك الطريقة أمام سيناريوهات تتضمن ضمنيًا إمكانية بيع لامين يامال، إذا لزم الأمر، للحفاظ على استقرار النادي الرياضي أو المؤسسي.

وشدد: “لا أستبعد أي سيناريو، أفكر في ناديي، جميع أعضاء النادي موجودون هنا مؤقتًا فقط، المهم هو برشلونة”.

Sean Williams takes over as Zimbabwe captain in Craig Ervine’s absence

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Aug-2025

Craig Ervine, the designated Zimbabwe captain, has been ruled out of the ODI series against Sri Lanka after sustaining a calf injury on the eve of the first match, played at Harare Sports Club on Friday. In his absence, Sean Williams will lead Zimbabwe.The injury took place on Thursday, and an MRI scan confirmed that Ervine had suffered a Grade II strain in his left calf as well as a chronic and resolving Grade I strain in his right calf.Ervine, 40, is one of Zimbabwe’s more experienced players and a key member of the batting unit. He has missed some cricket in recent years, often because of injury, but the most recent absence, in a Test against Ireland in February 2025, was to be with his wife for the birth of their child. Williams, too, had missed that Test with a back injury, but both of them returned to the squad for the Test series in Bangladesh at home in April-May. His last ODI appearance was in that series against Ireland.Ervine’s absence, while a blow for Zimbabwe, comes at a time when Brendan Taylor, one of the country’s best batters of the last decade, makes his comeback to the format as part of his return to international cricket after a three-year ban for corruption-related offences. It’s been Taylor’s best format over the years, one where he has scored 11 centuries in 203 innings over the years.Ervine has played 128 ODIs in his 15-year-long international career, scoring 3600 runs at an average of 33.02 with four centuries and 23 half-centuries, including a best of 130 not out, against New Zealand in Harare back in 2015.

At the same stage, IPL 2024 had featured six more sixes, though the balls-per-six metric favours the current season

S Rajesh07-Apr-2025

The calm after the storm

After a blistering start to IPL 2025, the scoring rates have calmed down considerably. In the first five games of the season, the average run rate was 10.7, with three 240-plus totals. As many as 20 overs went for 20 or more runs.But since then, the bowlers have hit back with a vengeance. A comparison between the first nine and next ten games shows a significant difference in most parameters. The run rate has dropped by almost a run, the balls per six has gone up by four, the 190-plus totals have reduced by more than half, and the number of overs with 20-plus runs has come down by 67%.In the last ten matches, teams have touched 200 only three times, with a highest of 205, and all those totals have resulted in wins. In the first four days of the tournament, teams passed 200 six times, including four scores of over 230, and three of those 200-plus totals were in defeats.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The comparison with IPL 2024

Thanks to the relatively lower totals, the run rate this season is only marginally ahead of last season after 19 games. After five matches, the difference was huge – 10.7 in 2025 to 9.13 last year – but now the gap has reduced to just 0.08. After five games, the sixes count in 2025 was 32 ahead of last season’s – 119 versus 87 – but the 2024 season has now gone ahead by six, though the balls-per-six metric still favours the current season.IPL 2024 has also sneaked ahead in the count of overs with 20-plus runs – there were 32 of those after 19 games last season, compared to 28 so far this year.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The team-wise comparisons

Compared to last year, the team which improved the most in terms of batting run rate after 19 matches of the season is Gujarat Titans (GT). Last year, they were languishing at the bottom of the run-rates chart at 8.56 runs per over after four games with a 2-2 win-loss record. This year, they have galloped at 10.08 runs per over, with totals of 232 batting second, and winning chases of 170 in 17.5 overs, and 153 in 16.4.Four teams have gone at over 10 runs an over so far this year, compared to just two at the same stage last year, though the highest from last year (11.71, by Kolkata Knight Riders) far exceeds the highest this year (10.2, by Punjab Kings).At the bottom of the charts this year are Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who have struggled at a run rate of 8.05, compared to 9.12 last year. Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) run rates this year have mirrored that of the season so far: they got off the blocks in style, scoring 286 versus Rajasthan Royals (RR), but have since touched a run rate of nine only once in four innings.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe list that SRH top this year is an unwanted one: they’ve conceded at 10.73 runs per over, the most by a team so far. SRH have gone at 10 an over or more four times in five innings, and in their most recent game, conceded 153 in 16.4 in the defeat against GT.As a bowling unit, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have the best numbers so far. In three games, their average economy rate is 8.47, making them the only team to go at under 8.5 after 19 games this season. Can they maintain those numbers against Mumbai Indians (MI) in the 20th game of season, at the Wankhede?

Where are the close finishes?

Only three matches so far this season have been decided by a margin of fewer than ten runs, or with fewer than six balls to spare: CSK vs MI, Delhi Capitals vs Lucknow Super Giants, and RR vs CSK. Last year, at the same stage, there were seven games which met these criteria.On the other hand, this IPL, 12 matches have been decided by a margin of 25 or more runs, or with 20 or more balls to spare. Going into week three, IPL 2025 could do with a few more nail-biters.

MLB's two biggest stars and reigning MVPs, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, notably did not compete in the Home Run Derby on Monday night. Though Judge and Ohtani finished as MLB's leaders in home runs last season, and rank top-three in long balls so far this season, neither have competed in the Derby in the last few years.

Ohtani, who did compete in the Home Run Derby in 2021, said recently that it would be "pretty difficult" for him to participate because of the current rules, which can be physically demanding due to the amount of swings.

Judge, who won the Derby as a rookie in 2017, was asked why he and several top stars don't compete in the Home Run Derby. Judge initially joked in response, "I already did it, I don't know what else you want from me. I already did it, so I think it's time for somebody else to do their thing and have fun with it."

Judge did go on to say he likes that the current trend allows lesser-known players to have an opportunity to shine on the national stage.

"It's tough to say. I love seeing new faces in the game go out there and do their thing, especially getting to see Oneil Cruz go out there and hit one out of the stadium, I thought that was pretty special for baseball and special for fans," Judge said. "I'm looking forward to stuff like that every year, having someone new go out there and put a show on for the league."

Pirates star Oneil Cruz was the standout example on Monday. Though not an All-Star, he got the chance to compete in the Derby and made a strong impression as he hit a 513-foot home run out of the stadium. Though breakout star and Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh won the Home Run Derby, the competition allows players like Cruz to make greater names for themselves.

Australia’s fortress. Venue of India’s arguably greatest Test win. Australia lost here just this year. India’s struggling batters face an early-season pitch. The storylines are endless, as always, at the Gabba

Alagappan Muthu12-Dec-2024In 2003, Sourav Ganguly’s men ended up on the receiving end of a pretty rough time in Brisbane. None of the top three could get into double-digits in their first innings, only one did, barely, in their second. “Indian summer over,” said the newspaper headline, reporting on that tour game ahead of the four-match Test series.The Gabba has offered sterner welcomes over the years, particularly in the days when the game was played on uncovered tracks. England resorted to inverting their batting line-up – Alec Bedser moved from No. 10 to No. 5 and Denis Compton from No. 4 to No. 9 – in a chase of 193 and it still wouldn’t work. They lost that series 4-1. Australia don’t use this place to say “welcome”. They use it to say “beware”. This is where they would usually meet visiting teams for the first Test and break them right off the bat. No acclimatisation. But maybe subjugation.”By the end of this tour, we will find out how good we are, individually and as a team,” Ganguly said 21 years ago. He was leading his team into a fortress. At the time India had won only three out of 29 Tests in Australia, and when they slipped to 127 for 4 responding to 323, there was a crushing sense of the status quo.Related

Gill toasts old Gabba memories as he prepares to make new ones

Welcome to the fortress: a brief and stormy history of the Gabba

McSweeney hopes to 'throw a few more punches' at Bumrah

Mitchell Marsh 'ready to bowl as much' as Australia need him

Then an Indian left-hand batter decided to do something about it and history was made. Ganguly made perhaps his finest century to help draw that first Test in the tour of 2003-04. His 144 remains the highest score by a visiting captain at this ground. India retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on that tour. They backed up 2001 with 2003. The Gabbatoir, which was meant to whittle the opposition down into selfs, both doubt and loathing, became the scene of a revolution. The wet weather even switched sides.India have had a fair few highs in Australia since then (and one abysmal failure). Perth 2008 which was a saga of its own. Adelaide 2014 which is fondly remembered despite it being a loss. All of it led to 2018 and peaked three short years later.Back in the present, KL Rahul, after wrapping up a batting session that took over an hour, navigated the cold, steel, underground labyrinth of walkways that connects the nets with the main ground and there he just sat, in the dugout, with the ground unfurled at his feet. He wasn’t part of the win in 2021; he had sprained his wrist at training at the MCG and had to go home. But one of his best friends was present. Mayank Agarawal had walked alongside Rishabh Pant as they took a lap of honour around the ground. Rahul would have heard all the tales from that night.The final play of the first Tied Test – where else but at the Gabba?•ESPNcricinfo LtdJasprit Bumrah was injured too but he was still there. And he is once again here. He began his net session imitating R Ashwin. He called out a carrom ball and bowled it and almost hit off stump. That groin trouble that left him on the floor for several minutes in Adelaide seems to have passed. He bowled full tilt at the nets. Several audible grunts confirmed that. And just in case anyone’s curious, Rahul’s play-leave also frustrates his own bowlers.India feel good here. Washington Sundar, who has named his dog after the Gabba, might be featuring in a video put out soon by the BCCI, walking around the ground. Either that or he wanted a mental snapshot because after the Ashes Test next year, they’re going to redo the Gabba into a multi-sport centre in preparation for the Olympics in 2032.All the history that this place contains. The first ever tied Test in 1960. Selector Don Bradman and captain Richie Benaud having a famously casual conversation over tea, about Australia not giving up. The greyhound track installed in the 1970s and removed in the 1990s. Kevin Mitchell Sr running onto the field with his groundstaff behind him in a tractor to the bewilderment of the Australian and the New Zealand players in 1989 and saving a one-day match from being lost to rain. Nasser Hussain doing that thing at the toss.The Gabba: fast-bowlers’ paradise•Getty ImagesAustralia love it here. Allan Border, who has a statue at the Gabba, a Sheffield Shield win after retiring with Queensland, a home in Brisbane and also a stadium in his name in the city, used to say, “The wickets are hard and this traditionally suits Australian cricketers who are reared on hard surfaces – on malthoid, cement and matting. They are new-ball wickets with the ball coming on and they suit our cricket best.”There have been blips lately – West Indies took Australia down here just this year in a pink-ball Test – but that was played in January. This one against India is being played at the start of the season, when the pitch is a lot fresher. A recent Shield game, albeit a day-night one, had 15 wickets falling on the first day. The Gabba is not for the faint of heart. It never has been.