Sports Highlights

The following are the top/expected stories at 2100 hours: EXPECTED STORIES: *Report of ISL match between SC East Bengal and Jamshedpur FC in Vasco. STORIES ON THE WIRE: SPO-CRI-IND-WARMUP 2nd Warm-Up Game: Vihari the extra batsman and Kuldeep as extra spinner in focus Sydney, Dec 10 (PTI) A second spinner in Kuldeep Yadav or an additional batsman in Hanuma Vihari will be India's prime concern during their day/night first-class game against Australia A from Friday which would be the dress rehearsal for the 'Pink Ball Test' in Adelaide, starting December 17.

SPO-CRI-IND-ENG-2NDLD SCHEDULE Home Series against England: Ahmedabad gets D/N Test; Chennai to host opener, Pune gets ODIs New Delhi, Dec 10 (PTI) International cricket will return to India after a coronavirus-forced break with the marquee series against England in February-March next year and the itinerary unveiled on Thursday features a Day/Night 'Pink Ball Test' at the reconstructed Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad. SPO-CRI-SMITH-WARNER Our batting depth without Warner will be tested: Smith Adelaide, Dec 10 (PTI) India's nemesis Steve Smith feels that Australian team's batting depth would be hugely tested in absence of injured opener David Warner in the first Test in Adelaide, starting December 17.

SPO-CRI-SMITH-CAPTAINCY Discussions took place, happy to do whatever is best for team: Smith on returning to captaincy Adelaide, Dec 10 (PTI) Former Australian captain Steve Smith on Thursday revealed that there have been discussions in the team about him returning to the top job again, almost three years after he had to step down owing to his role in the ball-tampering scandal. SPO-CRI-ODI-RANKING Kohli stays on top of ICC ODI ranking for batsmen Dubai, Dec 10 (PTI) India captain Virat Kohli cemented his spot at the top of the ICC Men's ODI Player Rankings for batsmen after scoring two half-centuries in the recently-concluded three-match series against Australia.

SPO-CRI-PCB-SELECTOR PCB struggling to appoint new chief selector with top candidate Akram backing out Karachi, Dec 10 (PTI) The Pakistan Cricket Board is finding it difficult to appoint a new chief selector after its top candidate backed out of working under the current system of selection in the country. SPO-CRI-CLARKE-WADE Wade can be makeshift opener in Test for Australia, feels Clarke Melbourne, Dec 10 (PTI) Former skipper Michael Clarke believes in-form wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade can be a makeshift opener in an injury-hit Australia squad for the first Test against India beginning at Adelaide on December 17.

SPO-CRI-KANERIA-PCB Banned Kaneria files petition in Sindh High court, seeks PCB's permission to undergo rehab Karachi, Dec 10 (PTI) Banned Test leg-spinner Danish Kaneria has filed a petition in the Sindh High Court seeking permission from the Pakistan Cricket Board to allow him to undergo their rehabilitation program for players found guilty of corruption. SPO-CRI-MCG-SPECTATORS Boxing Day Test crowd capacity increased to 30,000 spectators Melbourne, Dec 10 (PTI) The iconic Boxing Day Test between India and Australia is set to be played in front of 30,000 fans per day after the Victorian government eased crowd restrictions on Thursday.

SPO-CRI-GAVASKAR Kohli has been most impactful player in ODIs for India this decade: Gavaskar Mumbai, Dec 10 (PTI) The legendary Sunil Gavaskar believes skipper Virat Kohli has been the most impactful player for India in the last 10 years, considering the number of games that he has won for the country in this span of time. SPO-CHESS-ANAND Anand to launch academy to train youngsters Chennai, Dec 10 (PTI) Legendary Indian chess player Viswanathan Anand has joined hands with WestBridge Capital to launch an academy, through which the five-time world champion will train youngster.

SPO-RACING-JKNRC 23rd JK National Racing Championship to start on Friday Coimbatore, Dec 10 (PTI) The Kari Motor Speedway will hear the familiar roar of Formula cars as the much-awaited 23rd JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship (JKNRC) gets under way here on Friday. SPO-ISL-ATKMB ATK Mohun Bagan face Hyderabad, aiming to get back on track Margao, Dec 10 (PTI) ATK Mohun Bagan will be keen to get back to winning ways when they take on an unbeaten Hyderabad FC in an Indian Super League fixture at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Saturday.

SPO-CRI-PARTHIV-MI Mumbai Indians rope in Parthiv Patel as talent scout Mumbai, Dec 10 (PTI) Former India and Gujarat wicket-keeper batsman Parthiv Patel on Thursday joined Indian Premier League defending champions Mumbai Indians as a talent scout. SPO-CRI-CSA-ENG CSA interim board chief slams ''negative'' England for calling off tour Johannesburg, Dec 10 (PTI) Cricket South Africa's interim board chairman Zak Yacoob on Thursday criticised England for calling off their tour to the African nation midway due to the outbreak of COVID-19 cases in both camps, terming the visiting side's attitude as ''negative''.

SPO-GOLF-WOM Amandeep opens huge five-shot lead in 8th leg of WPGT Gurugram, Dec 10 (PTI) Amandeep Drall shot a second straight two-under 70 to extend her lead to five shots in the second round of the eighth leg of the Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour here on Thursday. SPO-NBA-IND-NEGI NBA Academy India graduate Riyanshu Negi signs with DME Sports Academy in Florida New Delhi, Dec 10 (PTI) NBA Academy India graduate Riyanshu Negi has signed with the DME Sports Academy, a prep school in Florida, becoming the fourth male student-athlete from the training centre to commit to a high-school or college basketball program in the US.