Cricket
This has been a year where not much changed for the Indian cricket team. The side has remained strong at home but was very poor away. Tours to New Zealand and England brought major disappointment. The World T20 campaign in Sri Lanka was more successful but ended in failure as the host beat India in the final.
In the Asia Cup, however, India didn’t even make the final. Home series wins over Sri Lanka and West Indies lit up a few faces. In the IPL, Kings XI Punjab’s stunning performance was eclipsed by Kolkata Knight Riders in the final. Not to forget, Karnataka made a sweep of all domestic trophies.
Hockey
Indian hockey took a few positive steps this year. Under the management of Australian Terry Walsh, India won the gold medal at the Asian Games. Thanks to the victory, India qualified for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. However, this win was preceded by a disappointing ninth-place finish at the men’s Hockey World Cup.
Walsh left the team after differences with Hockey India but the side recovered to finish fourth at the Champions Trophy in December. In the Hockey India League, Delhi Waveriders defeated Punjab Warriors in the final.
Football
After a long time in India, crowds returned to football stadia as the Indian Super League was organised. Earlier, the i-League saw a new champion when Bengaluru FC won the title. However, these positive developments were marred by India’s poor performance in international football. The national side dropped to 170 in the FIFA rankings.
Tennis
India came very close to a return to the Davis Cup World Group when it lost 2-3 to Serbia in Bengaluru. But Sania Mirza made the nation proud by winning the US Open mixed doubles title with Bruno Soares. She also won the doubles tournament with Cara Black at the WTA year-end championships.
Multi-sports events
This year’s Asian Games were held in Incheon, South Korea. India finished in the ninth place with 11 gold, 10 silver and 36 bronze medals. This was a poor performance, compared to the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games where India won 14 gold, 17 silver and 34 bronze medals.
Earlier in the year, at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, India finished fifth in the medals tally with 64 medals (15 gold).
Other sports
P. V. Sindhu won the Macau Open and the Bronze Medal at the badminton world championships in Kuala Lumpur. Saina Nehwal tasted success too as she won the China Open.
The inaugural Pro Kabaddi League was held from July to August this year and the Abhishek Bachchan-owned Jaipur Pink Panthers reigned victorious.
In November, in a repeat of last year’s contest in Chennai, Magnus Carlsen bested Viswanathan Anand to reaffirm his standing as the world chess champion.
