SPORTS

Tokyo Olympic torch relay to start in 100 days
IANS -
The relay's start point will still be the J-Village National Training Centre in Fukushima, which was hit hard by an earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, reports Xinhua news agency. The flame, lit in Olympia of Greece in March, will travel 121 days through 859 municipalities across all 47 prefectures before it arrives at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on July 23 when the Games opens. About 10,000 torchbearers will take part in the event.
Ishant's absence throws a problem for India, experienced Umesh likely
IANS -
The right-arm pace bowler, who was a part of India's fast bowling trio that picked over 68 per cent of Australia's wickets on the last tour, was ruled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in October with an abdominal muscle tear.
If India bowl short at Smith, they'll play into his hands says Chappel
IANS -
There has been speculation about India planning to bowl short to Smith in the series after the Aussie batsman had struggled with it during the previous summer against New Zealand's Neil Wagner. Smith had earlier said that no other bowler can bowl short deliveries as well as Wagner does and he is not worried at all.
Azhar calls for 5 bowlers in 1st Test; expected Pandya in squad
IANS -
The 57-year-old said that India will miss Kohli once he returns after the first Test and felt Rohit Sharma should replace him in the playing eleven for the last two Tests. India will have to play the second Test without either of the two as Rohit will be in quarantine.
Aashi Hanspal grabs 2 podium finishes in Dubai Endurance Karting Championship
IANS -
Aashi became the only Indian girl to compete in the World Series event held over the weekend in Dubai's Motorcity. The all-Indian team, featuring Arjun Manjunath (Bangalore), Rachit Singhal (Delhi), Jamie (Mumbai), Aditya Swaminathan (Bangalore) and Aashi, grabbed the second position in the overall championship as well as the first position in the Nations Cup.
Kohli moves to No. 2, Rahane enters top 10 in ICC Test rankings
IANS -
Kohli has displaced New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson at the second spot in the latest ICC Test rankings for batsmen. India's Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has also entered the top 10 list. Cheteshwar Pujara has maintained his seventh spot in the list currently led by Australia's Steve Smith.
Lewis Hamilton wants increased pay deal with Mercedes by December
IANS -
Max Verstappen had cruised to victory in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix at the YAS Marina Circuit on Sunday as the returning world champion Hamilton finished third. Hamilton's Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas finished second.
Yuvraj Singh set to be back in action with 'Ultimate Kricket Challenge'
IANS -
Besides Yuvraj, Eoin Morgan, Andre Russell, Chris Gayle, Kevin Pietersen and Rashid Khan will also take part in the inaugural season of the tournament that will run from December 24 to January 1. The 16-match tournament will see the introduction of new cricket rules in a new one-on-one cricket match format. Each match will consist of two UKC contenders squaring off against each other in four innings of 15 balls each.
IPL addressed clash of cultures turning foes to friends, say Allan Border, Justin Langer
IANS -
"I think Sunny (Sunil Gavaskar) talked about (in a media article) that there was always a little bit of clash, clash of cultures between Australians and Indians. We play the game a certain way, we are brought up to play the game in an aggressive manner. We use swear words a lot in our natural conversation without meaning anything by it. Whereas in India, sometimes the players used to take offence with the way we were," Border said.
Focussing on pink-ball Test, not thinking about captaincy: Rahane
IANS -
The middle-order batsman will be leading the side in the last three Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Series once Virat Kohli returns to India to attend the birth of his first child. Rahane said he is focusing on the moment and is not concerned about the next three Tests which he is to captain.
Advertisement