New Delhi, Dec 27 (PTI) The following are the top/expected stories at 2145 hours:

EXPECTED STORIES:

*Report of Indian Super League match between Kerala Blasters and Hyderabad FC at Bambolim.

STORIES ON THE WIRE:

SPO-CRI-2ND LD IND

Captain Rahane's fine century puts India in driver's seat

Melbourne, Dec 27 (PTI) Ajinkya Rahane played a captain's knock, a workmanlike century that steered India into a dominant position and took the sting out of Australia's potent bowling attack in the second Test here on Sunday.

SPO-CRI-IND-GILL

Learnt to see off tough periods by watching Rahane bat: Shubhman Gill

Melbourne, Dec 27 (PTI) Young India batsman Shubman Gill says watching Ajinkya Rahane's "magnificent" hundred from the sidelines was immensely educative for him and he learnt how not to get into a shell while facing a lethal bowling attack.

SPO-CRI-IND-STARC

Strac rues missed chances for Australia; praises Rahane's knock

Melbourne, Dec 27 (PTI) Australian speedster Mitchell Starc rued the chances his team squandered on the second day of the Boxing Day Test but also praised rival skipper Ajinkya Rahane for his pressure-absorbing century.

SPO-CRI-ICC-TEAMS

Dhoni captain of ICC's white-ball teams of decade, Kohli voted skipper of Test side

Dubai, Dec 27 (PTI) The legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni was on Sunday named captain of ICC's ODI and T20 International teams of the decade while Virat Kohli stamped his pre-eminence in world cricket after being voted the skipper of the Test team.

SPO-CRI-DDCA-BEDI

Bedi threatens legal action, demands immediate removal of his name from Kotla stand

New Delhi, Dec 27 (PTI) Spin legend Bishan Singh Bedi has threatened to take legal action against the DDCA if his name is not removed from a spectators' stand at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground with immediate effect.

SPO-CRI-MCG-FOX

Sydney Test a 50-50 bet, MCG begins preparations

Melbourne, Dec 27 (PTI) The possibility of Sydney hosting the third Test against India has now come down to 50 percent in the wake of fresh outbreak of COVID-19 cases there and a final decision will be arrived at in two days.

SPO-CRI-PONTING-RAHANE

Rahane has done a great job to pick up pieces from Adelaide debacle: Ponting

Melbourne, Dec 27 (PTI) Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting feels Ajinkya Rahane has done a great job for India "to pick up the pieces" from the Adelaide debacle with a captain's knock on the second day of the Boxing Day Test here on Sunday.

SPO-MINISTRY-SOP

Ministry issues SOP for conduct of sporting events in country

New Delhi, Dec 27 (PTI) Eyeing resumption of sporting events in the coming months, the Sports Ministry has issued Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) which allow 50 per cent attendance in venues while prescribing formation of COVID-19 Task Force by organisers of each competition.

SPO-CHESS-HARIKRISHNA

Indian GM Harikrishna holds Carlsen

Chennai, Dec 27 (PTI) Indian Grandmaster P Harikrishna held world number one and world champion Magnus Carlsen in the fourth round of the preliminary stage of the Champions Chess Tour Airthings Masters online chess championship.

SPO-CRI-IND-TENDULKAR

Rahane, Jadeja partnership may have taken game away from Australia: Tendulkar

Melbourne, Dec 27 (PTI) The legendary Sachin Tendulkar feels that the unbroken 104-run partnership between stand-in India captain Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja might have taken the game away from Australia in the second Test here on Sunday.

SPO-CRI-BCA

Bihar CA warring factions select separate squads for Mushtaq Ali T20

By Kushan Sarkar

New Delhi, Dec 27 (PTI) The controversy ridden Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) found itself in a new mess after warring factions led by president Rakesh Tiwary and secretary Sanjay Kumar released separate squads for upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament, starting January 10.

SPO-ISL-BENGALURU-PREVIEW

Bengaluru FC seek to bounce back from previous match defeat in clash against Jamshedpur

Margao, Dec 27 (PTI) Former champions Bengaluru FC would look to bounce back from their first defeat of the season when they face a struggling Jamshedpur FC in an Indian Super League match here on Monday.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)