5 things to look forward to in 2016

2015 has been a great year for cricket fans and the coming year, with a packed schedule of cricket coming up, is not going to be any different. Talk about the excitement, the drama and the fantasy -- it only gets better from here on.2016 promises to have a lot in store for diehard cricket lovers -- from mouth-watering clashes to great international tournaments. Be sure to make your very own bucket list about the most exciting tournaments and the epic clashes you don't want to miss.Let us look at the 5 most exciting things to look forward to in the coming year ahead.

#5 Yuvraj Singh\'s comeback

Yuvraj Singh's return to the national squad will be closely monitoredby cricket fans all over

2016 is going to be particularly sweet for the Indian fans as they look forward to welcome back one of their heroes. And it is not just about the Indian fans, Yuvraj Singh is one cricketer who is universally loved for his big heart and dashing stroke-play.

Ever since he waged a brave battle against cancer just after having won the Man of the Tournament award in the 2011 World Cup, Yuvraj has received tremendous support and good wishes from his followers all over the world. But he was not able to replicate his form after his comeback and was dropped from the team.

His tremendous run of form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy this year has influenced the selectors enough to call him back to the T20 team for India's tour to Australia. One really hopes that Yuvraj finds some form and is able to light up the ICC World T20 later the next year.

#4 MS Dhoni to play for Pune in the IPL

It will be surreal for IPL fans to not see Dhoni play in the yellow of the CSK for the next two years

Ever since CSK and RR were suspended from the IPL for a period of two years, there was a lot of speculation about the future of the national and international superstars who represented the two franchises. The draw from the IPL draft has put a lot of doubts to rest with MS Dhoni emerging as the top draw to have been picked by the Sanjeev Goenka-owned Pune franchise.

Dhoni will be joined by the likes of Rahane, Ashwin, Steve Smith and Faf du Plessis in his Pune franchise. A lot of heart-broken CSK fans are still finding it tough to accept that Dhoni will walk out for another franchise in the IPL.

There is also the added speculation over MS Dhoni's international career with rumours suggesting that he might hang up his boots after the ICC World T20 next year. 2016 certainly promises to be a turbulent year for diehard MSD fanatics.

#3 Exciting year for the big four of the gen-next

It remains to be seen whether the four batting stars of 2015 can continue their great run in 2016 too

The four most talked about cricketers of the next generation in the world right now are undoubtedly Kane Williamson, Steve Smith, Joe Root and Virat Kohli. Williamson, Root and Smith have been in tremendous form this season and are living up to the tag of being the most promising upcoming cricketers.

Root has an average of 59.63 in Tests and 42.52 in ODIs this year. Smith has not done too badly either, averaging 65.10 in Tests and 52.66 in ODIs. Williamson has been in phenomenal form for which he has been chosen as Sportskeeda's cricketer of the year. He has an astronomical average of 90.15 in Tests and 57.26 in ODIs.

Only Virat Kohli seems to have fallen behind in this four-horse race having an average of 42.66 in Tests and 36.64 in ODIs. Can Kohli turn it around this year? More importantly, can the big four who have been taking baby steps into greatness establish themselves as legends in the making?

#2 Masters Champions League

The MCL will involve many big former legends of the game

Cricket was one of the few sports which did not have a league for the retired heroes until the All-Stars Tournament. Fans who would be nostalgic about the superhuman feats of the stars of the bygone era would have to wait ages for a charity match before this.

The All-Stars Tournament was a resounding success as stadiums in the US had a record turnout to watch the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne. Great excitement has naturally ensued ever since the Masters Champions League featuring the retired cricketers has been announced.

With a group of stars like Virender Sehwag, Michael Vaughan, Sourav Ganguly and Adam Gilchrist set to feature, the league promises to be a success even before a ball is bowled. The first match in which Gemini Arabians led by Sehwag take on Libra Legends led by Sourav Ganguly is on January 28^th, 2016. This promises to be a mouth-watering clash eagerly waited for by fans all around the globe.

#1 ICC World T20

Sri Lanka's T20 captain, Lasith Malinga will be hoping to hold the T20 trophy once again

Along with the World Cup, the ICC World T20 has become one of the most looked forward to tournaments in a short span of time. This is ample testimony to the rising popularity of the T20 format in the cricketing world right now.

T20 tournaments have mushroomed around the world where fans can enjoy players from different parts of the world coming together for their franchises. The ICC World T20 is the only such tournament where teams compete on the basis of their nationality to bring honour and glory to their nation.

Sri Lanka will be hoping to defend their title this season having defeated India in the final of the 2014 edition of the tournament. India, on the other hand, will be hoping to reclaim the glory they earned back in 2007.

If MS Dhoni does bow out after this tournament, as is the speculation in cricketing circles right now, he would like to leave on a high. Yuvraj Singh, if he makes it to the tournament, would love to seek redemption for his unheroic innings of 11 runs off 21 balls in the final against Sri Lanka in 2014.