Sports Highlights

The following are the top/expected stories at 2100 hours: EXPECTED STORIES: *Report of ISL match between ATK Mohun Bagan and Chennaiyin FC. STORIES ON THE WIRE: SPO-CRI-IND-3RDLD ARRIVAL Red carpet welcome for Rahane; Siraj heads straight to father's grave (Eds: Adding more details) Mumbai/New Delhi/Hyderabad, Jan 21 (PTI) Chants of 'aala re aala Ajinkya aala' headlined a red carpet welcome for Ajinkya Rahane on his triumphant return from Australia with some other teammates but the mood was sombre in Hyderabad as one of his warriors, Mohammed Siraj, headed straight to his father's grave.

SPO-CRI-SIRAJ-LD ABUSE Umpires offered us option to leave Sydney Test after racial abuse, Rahane turned it down: Siraj (Eds: Adds more quotes) Hyderabad, Jan 21 (PTI) India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj on Thursday revealed that on-field umpires had offered his team the option of leaving the third Test against Australia midway after he was subjected to racial abuse by the crowd in Sydney, a proposal that was turned down by skipper Ajinkya Rahane. SPO-CRI-ENG-LD TEAM Stokes, Archer return to England team for first two Tests against India (Eds: Adding details) London, Jan 21 (PTI) Explosive all-rounder Ben Stokes and pacer Jofra Archer on Thursday returned to a 16-member England squad named for the first two Tests of the upcoming four-match series against India.

SPO-CRI-SIRAJ-LD RETURN Emotional Siraj heads straight to father's grave from airport, offers prayers (Eds: Adds Siraj's quotes) Hyderabad, Jan 21 (PTI) An emotional Mohammed Siraj on Thursday went straight to the graveyard after returning from Australia and paid his last respects to his father who died two months ago while the India speedster was doing national team duty.

SPO-CRI-SRIDHAR-INTERVIEW Inside Team Room: Wear that 36 all out like a badge, R Sridhar recalls 'Raviship' and more (Eds: A PTI EXCLUSIVE) By Kushan Sarkar New Delhi, Jan 21 (PTI) He ''aged 10 years in about one hour'' thanks to Rishabh Pant and Washington Sundar.

SPO-CRI-CHAPPELL Smith might get captaincy back in case of no other choice: Chappell Sydney, Jan 21 (PTI) Former skipper Ian Chappell says star batsman Steve Smith might get back the Australia captaincy despite his involvement in the infamous ball-tampering scandal in 2018 if there is no other choice to replace Tim Paine.

SPO-CWG-BIRMINGHAM-CGF CGF confident 2022 CWG will happen despite ''uncertainty'' expressed by Birmingham city council leader By Philem Dipak Singh New Delhi, Jan 21 (PTI) The Commonwealth Games Federation is confident the 2022 Birmingham CWG will go ahead as scheduled next year despite the host city's council leader's recent expression of doubts in view of a surge in COVID-19 cases in the UK. SPO-BAD-2NDLD IND Thailand Open: Sindhu, Sameer sail into quarterfinals; Satwik shines too (Eds: Adding latest result) Bangkok, Jan 21 (PTI) Indian shuttlers P V Sindhu and Sameer Verma stormed into the quarterfinals of the Toyota Thailand Open after registering straight-game wins but HS Prannoy bowed out of Super 1000 tournament here on Tuesday.

SPO-CRI-IND-PANT Dhoni comparisons amazing but Pant wants a name for himself in Indian cricket New Delhi, Jan 21 (PTI) The comparisons with the iconic Mahendra Singh Dhoni are flattering but young Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant on Thursday said he wants to carve his own identity in the game after playing a key role in the side's historic Test series win in Australia.

SPO-CRI-ROOT We have to be at our absolute best against India, says Root Galle, Jan 21 (PTI) India's come-from-behind series win over Australia was a ''great advert'' for Test cricket and his side will have to be at their ''absolute best'' to challenge them at home, said England captain Joe Root.

SPO-CRI-HEALY Healy says Australia lacked commitment against India, questions Paine's captaincy Brisbane, Jan 21 (PTI) Former Australia wicketkeeper Ian Healy has launched a scathing attack on the team that lost to an injury-ravaged India in the just-concluded Test series, accusing it of lacking commitment while questioning skipper Tim Paine's leadership and skills behind the stumps.

SPO-CRI-HAFEEZ India has proper system to groom talent and that's why won series in Aus: Hafeez Karachi, Jan 21 (PTI) Senior Pakistan batsman Muhammad Hafeez has lauded the Indian team for its incredible fight back to win the Test series against Australia and credited the feat to having a proper talent-grooming system in place.

SPO-CRI-SLC-SCANDAL SLC instructs Sri Lankan team manager to submit report on alleged misconduct by player Colombo, Jan 21 (PTI) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on Thursday instructed its national team manager to submit a report on allegations of sexual misconduct involving a promising player and a female member of their medical staff.

SPO-HOCK-WOM-JUNIOR Indian junior women's hockey team stuns Chile's senior side 3-2 Santiago (Chile), Jan 21 (PTI) The Indian women's junior hockey team rallied from a goal down to script a stunning 3-2 win over the Chilean senior side at the Prince of Wales Country Club here.