5 best moments of the Indian cricket team in 2015

2015 has been a mixed year for Team India. While India have done reasonably well in Tests, they have struggled in ODIs. India had a great World Cup campaign but amidst the great optimism that Dhoni would lift the trophy again this year, there was heartbreak for India in the semi-finals.With the year drawing to a close and fans gearing up for a new year of endless cricket action, this is the best time to look back at some of India's best performances this year.Here are the 5 best moments of the Indian cricket team in 2015.

#5 Partnership between Dhawan and Vijay in the Test match against Bangladesh

Murali Vijay-Shikhar Dhawan’s 283-run partnership was the second best opening partnership ever for India

Though Shikhar Dhawan has somewhat struggled for form in ODIs this year, this form in Tests has been reasonably good as he has scored 485 runs from 6 matches at an average of 53.88 this year. In the one-off Test against Bangladesh this year, Dhawan played one of his better Test innings scoring a majestic 137.

At the other end was Murali Vijay who had demonstrated great perseverance and application throughout the year. Vijay scored a brilliant 150 as the duo stitched together a crucial partnership of 283 runs for the opening wicket.

Vijay and Dhawan's partnership was undoubtedly one of the high points for India this year. Their 283-run partnership was a record against Bangladesh and India's second highest opening partnership after the one by Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag where they together scored 410 against Pakistan in 2006.

#4 ODI series win against Zimbabwe (3-0)

Ajinkya Rahane led India to their only ODI series win of 2015

A series win against Zimbabwe normally should not have been a high point for the Indian cricket team. But strangely, it turned out to be the only ODI series that India managed to win this year.

Considering India's poor ODI form this year, barring the great World Cup campaign, this was certainly no mean feat as most of the senior players were rested for the series against Zimbabwe. A young Indian squad led by Ajinkya Rahane played exemplary cricket and managed to complete a 3-0 whitewash in the ODI series.

There were many positives that emerged for the series against Zimbabwe. Harbhajan Singh made it back to the ODI team for this series after a long time. The likes of Manish Pandey who scored a great 71 and Kedar Jadhav who completed a brilliant century in the 3rd ODI were promising to say the least. And Rahane's captaincy was praised by one and all.

#3 India defeating Pakistan in the World Cup 2015

Indias WC victory over Pakistan brought out fans flooding the streets

The build up to India's World Cup 2015 campaign had been fantastic with a lot of optimism going around even when India had had a poor time in the tri-series in Australia. The excitement was hyped up by the fact that India were playing Pakistan in their first match, a fixture for which tickets had sold out like hot cakes.

Pakistan had never defeated India in a World Cup fixture and speculations were rife about whether they would be able to break the jinx this time. But India did not disappoint, posting a formidable 300 on the board thanks to a scintillating century by Virat Kohli. Pakistan, while chasing, buckled under pressure and it was an easy victory for India in the end.

The victory against Pakistan kick-started India's campaign in the World Cup. India would go on to win all their group stage matches and the quarter final against Bangladesh until losing out to eventual champions Australia in the semi-final.

#2 Test series win against Sri Lanka (2-1)

India turned around their fortunes in the Test series against Sri Lanka after being 0-1 down

Virat Kohli's first full series as the Indian Test captain was a case of baptism by fire. He took a relatively inexperienced Test side to a country where India had not won a Test series for a period of 22 years. It was always going to be difficult, if not impossible -- the Lankans have always been proverbial lions in their own backyard.

And they proved it in the very first Test when they snatched victory from the jaws of defeat outplaying India on the 5th Day of the 1st Test. An infamous fourth innings collapse when India were bundled out for 112 gave Sri Lanka an unlikely victory. It was a demoralising defeat and the all too familiar story of India succumbing once again on Lankan soil threatened to repeat itself.

The Indian batsmen put their heads down and scored some good runs. Ashwin and Mishra ran through the Sri Lankan batting order on quite a few occasions in the next two Tests. India completed a famous comeback under Kohli's captaincy and won their first Test series on Lankan soil after 22 years.

#1 Test series win against South Africa (3-0)

India’s thumping Test series win over South Africa was a landmark achievement

When Ashwin uprooted Morkel's stumps to end a dogged South African resistance in the 4th Test at Nagpur, Kohli's men created history. South Africa came to tour India on the back of a decade-long record of not having been beaten in away Tests, only to see it crumble like dust on Indian soil.

It was perhaps one of the strongest South African teams as they scripted a memorable 3-2 series win in ODIs. But in the Test series, they were thoroughly outplayed as they had no answer to the skill and finesse of the Indian spinners. India won the three Tests convincingly and could have had a 4-0 whitewash but for the weather that played spoilsport in the 2nd Test.

Ashwin was the Man of the Series and it capped off a brilliant year for the Indian off-spinner who has been in phenomenal form of late. Much of India's success in 2015 can be attributed to Ashwin's devastating form and consistency.