Sports Highlights

SPO-CRI-DDCA-COACH Kohlis childhood mentor Sharma appointed coach of Delhi Ranji side New Delhi, Dec 20 PTI India captain Virat Kohlis childhood mentor Raj Kumar Sharma was on Sunday named the head coach of the Delhi Ranji team for the upcoming 2020-21 domestic season.SPO-ISL-MUMBAI Mumbai City inflict first defeat of season on Hyderabad Vasco, Dec 20 PTI Vignesh Dakshinamurthy pulled off a stunning goal to set up Mumbai City FCs 2-0 win over Hyderabad FC in an Indian Super League match here on Sunday.

The following are the top/expected stories at 2100 hours: EXPECTED STORIES: *Report of ISL match between Kerala Blasters and SC East Bengal at Bambolim. STORIES ON THE WIRE: SPO-CRI-IND-COMBINATIONS Gill, Rahul and Pant get ready for Boxing Day; Saha and Shaw set to be benched By Kushan Sarkar New Delhi, Dec 20 (PTI) Veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha and young opener Prithvi Shaw are unlikely to be picked for the remaining Tests in Australia as India look to ring in wholesale changes after the batting debacle in Adelaide. SPO-CRI-CA-TESTS-LD SWAPSCG remains our preference, says Hockley after reports that CA mulling swapping 3rd and 4th Tests Adelaide, Dec 20 (PTI) Cricket Australia on Sunday said the SCG remains its preferred venue for the third Test against India after reports emerged that the governing body is contemplating swapping the last two games of the four-Test series due to growing COVID-19 cases in Sydney.

SPO-CRI-ICC-RANKING Kohli closes gap with top-ranked Smith Dubai, Dec 20 (PTI) India may have suffered an embarrassing defeat in the series-opener against Australia but its skipper Virat Kohli fractionally closed the gap with top-ranked Test batsman Steve Smith, following his 74-run knock in the first innings in Adelaide. SPO-CRI-CUMMINS Cummins wants sporting MCG pitch for Boxing day Test Adelaide, Dec 20 (PTI) One of the architects of India's humiliating loss in the pink-ball series opener, Australian pacer Pat Cummins acknowledged the help offered by the lively track here and wants a similar ''sporting'' pitch for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

SPO-CRI-PONTING Serious wounds opened up, good chance for Australia to go for clean sweep: Ponting Melbourne, Dec 20 (PTI) The humiliation in Adelaide has opened up ''serious wounds'' for India and Australia now have a ''good chance'' of inflicting on the visitors a whitewash in the four-Test series, reckons former captain Ricky Ponting. SPO-BOX-WC-IND Simranjeet, Manish strike gold; India end Cologne WC campaign with 9 medals New Delhi, Dec 20 (PTI) Indian women boxers Simranjeet Kaur (60kg) and Manish (57kg) notched up gold medals with contrasting final wins in the Cologne World Cup in Germany.

SPO-AIFF-AGM No elections in AIFF's AGM, FIFA tells it to fulfil obligations like managing affairs independently New Delhi, Dec 20 (PTI) The All India Football Federation (AIFF) will hold its Annual General Body Meeting in virtual mode on Monday, with the elections of its office bearers set to be kept in abeyance. SPO-ISL-ATKMB-PREVIEW ATK Mohun Bagan aim to end Bengaluru FC's unbeaten run Margao, Dec 20 (PTI) An absorbing contest is on the cards when two in-form teams ATK Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC clash each other in the Indian Super League, here on Monday.

SPO-CRI-BABAR Injured Babar Azam could miss first Test against New Zealand Karachi, Dec 20 (PTI) Recovering from a thumb injury, Pakistan captain Babar Azam could miss the opening Test against New Zealand at Mount Maunganui beginning December 26. SPO-GOLF-PGTI Bhullar wins Jamshedpur title, Chikkarangappa finishes runner-up Jamshedpur, Dec 20 (PTI) Gaganjeet Bhullar overcame a bumpy ride for a hard-fought four-under-68 to win his first PGTI trophy in nine years on the final day of the TATA Steel Tour Championship 2020, here on Sunday.

SPO-CRI-AMIR Amir blames team management for decision to retire at 28 Karachi, Dec 20 (PTI) Pacer Mohammad Amir has held the Pakistan team management responsible for his decision to quit international cricket at 28 and slammed coach Misbah-ul-Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis for ''spoiling'' his image. SPO-CRI-DDCA-COACH Kohli's childhood mentor Sharma appointed coach of Delhi Ranji side New Delhi, Dec 20 (PTI) India captain Virat Kohli's childhood mentor Raj Kumar Sharma was on Sunday named the head coach of the Delhi Ranji team for the upcoming 2020-21 domestic season.

SPO-ISL-MUMBAI Mumbai City inflict first defeat of season on Hyderabad Vasco, Dec 20 (PTI) Vignesh Dakshinamurthy pulled off a stunning goal to set up Mumbai City FC's 2-0 win over Hyderabad FC in an Indian Super League match here on Sunday. SPO-TENNIS-TATA Tata Open to be rescheduled, organisers in talks with ATP for new dates Pune, Dec 20 (PTI) The rescheduling of next year's Australian Open due to the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the organisers of the Tata Open Maharashtra to look for fresh dates in the second half of the calender.

SPO-CRI-PAK-IND India's stunning batting collapse shocks Pakistan's former stars Karachi, Dec 20 (PTI) Pakistan's former stars, including Javed Miandad and Shoaib Akhtar, have reacted with shock following arch-rivals India's inexplicable batting collapse in the first Test against Australia in Adelaide. SPO-CRI-BURNS-PUCOVSKI Burns cleared for second Test, Pucovski ruled out Melbourne, Dec 20 (PTI) Hit on the elbow during the pink-ball series opener, Australia's Joe Burns was on Sunday cleared to play the second Test against India, but young Will Pucovski was ruled out as he continues to recover from concussion.

SPO-RALLY Gaurav Gill wins Round 2 of Indian National Rally Championship Itanagar, Dec 20 (PTI) Three-time APRC champion Gaurav Gill claimed the Arunachal leg of the Champions Yacht Club-FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship 2020, winning the round 2 comfortably here on Sunday. SPO-MINISTRY-KHELO Sports Ministry approves inclusion of four indigenous games New Delhi, Dec 20 (PTI) The Sports Ministry has approved the inclusion of four indigenous sports, including Gatka and Kalaripayattu, in the Khelo India Youth Games 2021, scheduled to take place in Haryana. SPO-CHESS-IND Nihal Sarin, Iniyan advance to U-18 quarterfinals on good day for Indian players Chennai, Dec 20 (PTI) India's Grandmasters Nihal Sarin and P Iniyan advanced to the quarterfinals of the under-18 open category in the FIDE Online World Cadets and Youth Rapid Championships on Sunday..