Sports Highlights

The following are the top/expected stories at 2100 hours: EXPECTED STORIES: *Report of Indian Super League match between Mumbai City FC and Bengaluru FC in Margao.

STORIES ON THE WIRE: SPO-CRI-IND-SA-PREVIEW Cape of 'Good Hope': All eyes on batter Kohli helping 'skipper' to win historic Test series Cape Town, Jan 10 (PTI) Virat Kohli's talismanic presence will be the shot in the arm that India would need in their bid to win the historic first-ever away Test series against South Africa but the hosts will also walk in with a spring in their step in the final Test starting here Tuesday.

SPO-CRI-IND-SA-2ND LD KOHLI I am absolutely fit but can't risk Siraj as he isn't ready to play 3rd Test: Virat Kohli (Eds: Updating with more details) Cape Town, Jan 10 (PTI) India captain Virat Kohli on Monday said he will return to the team for the series-deciding third Test against South Africa here as he is ''absolutely fit'' but ruled out the participation of pacer Mohammed Siraj.

SPO-CRI-IND-KOHLI-ASHWIN Ashwin can continue to play spin all-rounder's role in any conditions: Kohli Cape Town, Jan 10 (PTI) Ravichandran Ashwin can play the all-rounder's role in any conditions, India skipper Virat Kohli said on Monday, impressed by the premier off-spinner's consistency with both bat and ball in recent years.

SPO-CRI-IPL-AHMEDABAD Hardik Pandya set to lead Ahmedabad franchise, BCCI gives Letter of Intent to franchise By Kushan Sarkar New Delhi, Jan 10 (PTI) The CVC-owned Ahmedabad franchise will be appointing senior India all-rounder Hardik Pandya as captain for its maiden season in the Indian Premier League, for which it has got the all-clear from the BCCI.

SPO-CRI-IND-SA-ELGAR Biggest game for us in last 10-15 years: Dean Elgar on series decider Cape Town, Jan 10 (PTI) South Africa captain Dean Elgar on Monday signalled that the gloves are off in the series decider against India and said Virat Kohli's return for their biggest Test in the ''last 10-15 years'' will make the battle more intense. SPO-CRI-IND-SA-RABADA On cusp of 50th Test, Rabada says ''he's nowhere near done'' Cape Town, Jan 10 (PTI) When Kagiso Rabada takes the field against India on Tuesday, he will complete a significant milestone of playing 50 Test matches, but the pacer says ''he is nowhere near done'' and hopes to serve South African team for a long time.

SPO-BAD-SINDHU-INTERVIEW Sindhu aims to fill cabinet with missing CWG, Asiad crowns in 2022 By Amit Kumar Das New Delhi, Jan 10 (PTI) Picking the right events will be crucial in a busy season, reckons top Indian shuttler P V Sindhu, who is targetting peak form during the Commonwealth and Asian Games this year to ensure that she clinches the two titles missing from her cabinet.

SPO-FOOT-ISL-PREVIEW ISL: Test for SCEB's defence against attacking Jamshedpur FC Bambolim, Jan 10 (PTI) SC East Bengal's resurgent backline will be put to test when they take on a strong Jamshedpur FC side in a Hero Indian Super League match here on Tuesday.

SPO-BAD-IND-PREVIEW Badminton in times of COVID-19: Sindhu, Srikanth eye glory at India Open New Delhi, Jan 10 (PTI) Star Indian shuttlers P V Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth will look to carry the momentum from last season and make winning starts to the new year when they begin their campaign at the India Open, which returns after being cancelled twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

SPO-TENNIS-OPEN-LD IND Prajnesh moves to second round of Australian Open Qualifiers Melbourne, Jan 10 (PTI) India's Prajnesh Gunneswaran knocked out third seed Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan from the Australian Open Qualifiers with a straight set victory, here on Monday.

SPO-VIRUS-SAI-LD SHUTDOWN SAI to shut down training centres amid rise in COVID-19 cases but camps for elite athletes to continue New Delhi, Jan 10 (PTI) The Sports Authority of India (SAI) on Monday said it has decided to close its 67 training centres across the country due to rising COVID-19 cases but national camps for elite athletes will continue in bio-bubbles.

SPO-CWG-BATON-ARRIVAL CWG Queens Baton arrives in India amid COVID scare New Delhi, Jan 10 (PTI) The Queens Baton for the 22nd Commonwealth Games to be held in Birmingham this year arrived at the national capital here on Monday.

SPO-CRI-U19-VIRUS BCCI postpones Cooch Behar Trophy knockout games after massive COVID-19 outbreak Mumbai, Jan 10 (PTI) The BCCI on Monday postponed the knockout games of U-19 Cooch Behar Trophy following a massive COVID-19 outbreak among the participating teams.

SPO-SAINA-SIDDHARTH I used to like him as an actor but this was not nice: Saina on Siddharth's remark New Delhi, Jan 10 (PTI) Badminton ace Saina Nehwal on Monday said it was ''not nice'' to see actor Siddharth's unsavoury remark after she expressed concerns on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent security breach and he could have used ''better words'' to comment on the matter.

SPO-HOCK-FIH Women's Jr World Cup will be played in South Africa in April, Indoor WC cancelled: FIH Lausanne, Jan 10 (PTI) The postponed FIH Women's Junior World Cup scheduled to be held in Potchefstroom, South Africa will be organised from April 2 to 13, the International Hockey Federation said on Monday.

SPO-VIRUS-LD ADVANI Pankaj Advani tests positive for COVID-19 (Eds: Adds details) Mumbai, Jan 10 (PTI) Multiple time world snooker and billiards champion Pankaj Advani has tested positive for COVID-19.

SPO-SAI-TOPS Golfers Lahiri, Aditi; equestrian Mirza and alpine skiier Khan included in TOPS New Delhi, Jan 10 (PTI) The country's ace golfers Anirban Lahiri, Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar, Olympian equestrian Fouaad Mirza and alpine skiier Mohammed Arif Khan were among 10 athletes who have been recently included in the Sports Ministry's Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). PTI APA AH