How India fared in 2015

Last December, the 30th day to be precise, M. S. Dhoni took the cricketing world by surprise and announced his retirement from Tests, through a BCCI press release. India had just drawn the third Test in Melbourne while Australia led the series 2-0. Once the shock of Dhoni’s sudden exit from the long-form, ebbed away, Virat Kohli sat in his hotel room, eyes moist, his mind heavy with the sudden reality that he will be India’s Test captain.

Dhoni’s boots are immense but Kohli managed to slip them on and added his own pro-active layers to it. In the fourth and final Test in Sydney, India wrested a draw after an intended-chase went kaput while Kohli, the batsman, enhanced his halo with four tons in that series and in his skipper-avatar, amply displayed a positive streak.

As the year wore on, he grew in stature. Away in Sri Lanka, Kohli’s men scripted an epochal 2-1 Test series triumph. Back at home, the cup of joy brimmed as South Africa were humbled 3-0. The new captain was in control, though, his criticism against sections of the media, could have been tempered. That’s a minor quibble in a rather eventful year for the 27-year-old and it is a matter of time before he holds the reins in ODIs and Twenty20s too as Dhoni inches towards his twilight.

Photo: K. R. DEEPAK

Nagpur, Maharashtra, 26/11/2015: Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who took five wickets, snapped in his bowling action on the second day of the third cricket Test match against South Africa at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on November 26, 2015. Photo: K.R. Deepak

Photo: PTI

New Delhi: India's Ajinkya Rahane celebrates century against South Africa during 4th day of the fourth Test match at Ferozshah Kotla Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday. PTI Photo by Shahbaz Khan(PTI12_6_2015_000007B)

Photo: REUTERS

India's Amit Mishra (3rd L) celebrates along with his captain Virat Kohli (R) after taking the wicket of South Africa's Faf du Plessis (L) during the third day of their third test cricket match in Nagpur, India, November 27, 2015. REUTERS/Amit Dave

Photo: PTI

New Delhi: Former cricketer Virender Sehwag being felicitate by BCCI secy Anurag Thakur during a function in Feroz shah Kotla stadium in New Delhi on Thursday. Sehwag 's two sons and his mother is also seen.PTI Photo by Shahbaz Khan(PTI12_3_2015_000024A)

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Nagpur, Maharashtra, 26/11/2015: Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who took five wickets, snapped in his bowling action on the second day of the third cricket Test match against South Africa at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on November 26, 2015. Photo: K.R. Deepak