Sports Highlights

The following are the top/expected stories at 2120 hours: EXPECTED STORIES: *Report of ISL match between Mumbai City FC and Jamshedpur FC in Bambolim. STORIES ON THE WIRE: SPO-CRI-IND-LYON We are in far better place than what we were in 2018: Lyon Sydney, Dec 14 (PTI) Injury-ravaged it might be but senior off-spinner Nathan Lyon feels that the current Australian team is the ''tightest group'' that he has been a part of and is certainly in a much better space than what it was two years back, when India triumphed 1-2 in Tests. SPO-CRI-AUS-HENRIQUES Ind-Oz series: All-rounder Henriques added to Australia squad, injured Abbott ruled out Sydney, Dec 14 (PTI) All-rounder Moises Henriques was on Monday added to Australia's injury-hit squad for the opening Test against India while pacer Sean Abott was ruled out of the match due to a calf strain.

SPO-CRI-IND-SAHA 1st Test: Saha may be preferred over Pant in day/night format By Kushan Sarkar New Delhi, Dec 14 (PTI) Wriddhiman Saha's far superior glovework may be given preference over Rishabh Pant's blazing blade in India's opening day/night Test against Australia, starting at the Adelaide Oval from Thursday. SPO-CRI-IND-PANT Quick century in pink ball warm-up game was big confidence-booster: Pant Sydney, Dec 14 (PTI) Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant says the hundred that he struck in the recently-concluded pink-ball warm-up game here was just the confidence-booster he needed ahead of the Test series against Australia starting December 17.

SPO-CRI-FINCH-KOHLI Need to strike fine balance while confronting Kohli, he can be ruthless: Finch to Australia Melbourne, Dec 14 (PTI) Australia limited-overs captain Aaron Finch wants the home team players to strike a ''fine balance'' when they confront Virat Kohli in the opening Test as he believes, if provoked too much, the India skipper can be ''ruthless'' against his opponents. SPO-CRI-GAVASKAR There will be no pressure of captaincy on Rahane: Gavaskar New Delhi, Dec 14 (PTI) Ajinkya Rahane will not be bogged down by the pressure of captaincy if he leads India in the last three Tests against Australia in Virat Kohli's absence, feels batting great Sunil Gavaskar. SPO-CRI-IND-SHUBMAN We've got plenty of moves in store to handle Aussie chin music: Shubman Gill Sydney, Dec 14 (PTI) Young Indian batsman Shubman Gill feels it can be ''quite intimidating'' to play cricket in Australia but asserted that his team will not back down when faced with either sledging or short-pitched deliveries during the four-Test series starting in Adelaide on December 17.

SPO-CRI-IND-STARC This summer is a chance to rectify our mistakes against India in 2018-19: Starc Adelaide, Dec 14 (PTI) Smarting from the series defeat to India at home two summers ago, Australian speed merchant Mitchell Starc is ready to make amends in the upcoming four-match rubber against one of their biggest rivals, terming it a chance to ''rectify'' that. SPO-CRI-SA-CEO CSA's interim board suspends acting CEO Kugandrie Govender Durban, Dec 14 (PTI) Cricket South Africa's acting chief executive officer Kugandrie Govender was on Monday suspended by the interim board appointed last month in a reflection of the ongoing turmoil in the parent body. SPO-BAD-BAI-EVENTS BAI cautions players, coaches, technical staff against participation in unauthorised events New Delhi, Dec 14 (PTI) The Badminton Association of India (BAI) on Monday again cautioned its players, coaches and technical staff and asked them to stay away from unauthorised tournaments after it came to light that a Goa-based organisation is conducting such an event next month.

SPO-HOCK-REID India hockey coach Reid hopes to resume international action from early next year Bengaluru, Dec 14 (PTI) His side's Olympic preparation hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic, Indian men's hockey team chief coach Graham Reid is hoping to resume international action from early next year. SPO-FOOT-ISL-HYDERBAD Unbeaten Hyderabad take on struggling East Bengal in tricky ISL clash Vasco, Dec 14 (PTI) Hyderabad FC will be keen to continue their unbeaten run when they take on a struggling SC East Bengal in an Indian Super League fixture at the Tilak Maidan here on Tuesday.