Sports Highlights

The following are the top/expected stories at 1700 hours: EXPECTED STORIES: *A copy on Ian Chappell talking about the upcoming India-Australia Test series. STORIES ON THE WIRE: SPO-CRI-KOHLI-DRS Showing replay on screen before 15 seconds was costly: Kohli on DRS Sydney, Dec 9 (PTI) India captain Virat Kohli wasn't happy that his team lost out on a perfect DRS call just because replay of the delivery bowled to Matthew Wade was shown on giant screen before the permissible limit of 15 seconds.

SPO-CRI-WARNER Injured Warner out of first Test against India, targeting return in Melbourne Sydney, Dec 9 (PTI) Australia opener David Warner has been ruled out of the opening Test against India in Adelaide due to a groin injury that he suffered during the limited-overs series. SPO-CRI-IND-FINE India fined for slow over-rate in third T20I against Australia Sydney, Dec 9 (PTI) The Indian cricket team has been fined 20 per cent of its match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate in the third T20 International against Australia here.

SPO-CRI-PARTHIV-LD RETIREMENT 'Proud and at peace', Parthiv Patel retires from all forms of cricket New Delhi, Dec 9 (PTI) Parthiv Patel, one of the youngest to have played Test cricket for India at the age of 17, on Wednesday announced his retirement from all forms of the game, three month's short of his 36th birthday. SPO-CRI-PARTHIV-INTERACTION Sourav and Kumble will remain special as leaders for me: Parthiv Patel New Delhi, Dec 9 (PTI) The just-retired Parthiv Patel called his first Test captain Sourav Ganguly a ''leader in true sense'' along with the legendary Anil Kumble and said their influence in his life went beyond the cricketing arena.

SPO-CRI-IND-PLAYERS-REAX After losing first two ODIs, we treated remaining four games as new series: Rahul Sydney, Dec 9 (PTI) Limited-overs vice-captain K L Rahul has revealed the secret behind India's brilliant comeback, saying after losing the first two ODIs the visitors treated the remaining matches of the contest as a new series. SPO-CRI-CUMMINS-PUCOVSKI Hope Pucovski gets fit in time for first Test: Pat Cummins Melbourne, Dec 9 (PTI) Australia vice-captain Pat Cummins is hopeful that rookie opener Will Pucovski will recover from concussion injury well in time ahead of the first Test starting at Adelaide Oval from December 17.

SPO-CRI-AUS-LD GREEN It was a step up facing India bowlers: Green Sydney, Dec 9 (PTI) Australian allrounder Cameron Green says it was a ''step-up'' to face the Indian bowlers in the first warm-up game and he is looking forward to the tough challenge of encountering the pink ball against a full strength visiting team in the second practice game. SPO-CRI-AUS A-SQUAD Green, Swepson included in Australia A squad for pink-ball warm-up game Sydney, Dec 9 (PTI) In-form all-rounder Cameron Green and leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson were on Wednesday included in the 12-member Australia A squad for the day-night practice game against the visiting Indian team, beginning at the SCG here on Friday.

SPO-CRI-BORDER-MARSH Shaun Marsh could be one of those stop-gap guys in opening slot: Border Melbourne, Dec 9 (PTI) Former skipper Alan Border reckons experienced batsman Shaun Marsh can be a ''stop-gap'' option for the opening slot in an injury-hit Australia squad for the first Test against India. SPO-CRI-PAK-SA SA to tour Pakistan first time in 14 years for two Tests and three T20Is Karachi, Dec 9 (PTI) South Africa will tour Pakistan for the first time in 14 years for two Tests and three T20Is starting in January, the country's cricket board (PCB) said on Wednesday.

SPO-CRI-PAK-VIRUS-NZ 'Pakistani players likely contracted COVID before travelling to NZ' Wellington, Dec 9 (PTI) Half a dozen visiting Pakistani cricketers likely contracted the coronavirus in their own country before leaving for the tour or during their journey, New Zealand director of public health Dr Caroline McEnlay believes. SPO-FICCI-LD AWARDS Bajrang Punia, Elavenil Valarivan bag top honours at FICCI India Sports Awards New Delhi, Dec 9 (PTI) Tokyo Olympics-bound athletes -- wrestler Bajrang Punia and shooter Elavenil Valarivan -- bagged the top honours at the FICCI India Sports Awards 2020 held virtually this year owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.