[Videos] From hockey to cricket, Saina to Sania – the best moments of 2015

1. India bags bronze in HWL final

India's last medal in an international tournament came in 1982, when they finished third in the Champions Trophy at Netherlands. The Men in Blue finally ended the 33-year wait by clinching bronze against Netherlands in the Hockey World League (HWL) Finals in December.

The hosts came back from 0-2 down to take a 5-3 lead before the World No.2-ranked Dutch scored two late goals to take the game to a shoot-out. PR Sreejesh was once again the hero for India, as he kept out three shots to lead the nation to a 3-2 win in the shoot-out.

2. India wins in Sri Lanka after 22 years

Last time India won a Test series in Sri Lanka, Virat Kohli was 5-year-old, Manoj Prabhakar and Navjot Sidhu were India's opening batsmen in Tests, and Arjuna Ranatunga was the captain of the home team.

After a disappointing start to his reign as the captain in Bangladesh, Kohli led from the front to guide India to their first away Test series win in four years. India lost the first Test, despite Kohli's brilliant century, but they showed tremendous grit and character to bounce back and win the next two matches.

Ravichandran Ashwin and Amit Mishra picked up 21 and 15 wickets respectively, as India stifled Sri Lanka's batting line-up. In the final test, Sri Lanka were set a target of 386 runs in their fourth innings. Ashwin though, picked up four wickets to bowl out Sri Lanka for 268.

3. Pankaj Advani wins 15th World title

Indian snooker ace Pankaj Advani defeated Zhao Xintong of China 8-6 in the final of the IBSF World Snooker Championship at Hurghade, Egypt, in November. This was the second time Advani has lifted this title, following his first win in the event back in 2003. He also became the first person in history to take the short (6-Red) and the long snooker format in the same calendar year.

4. Saina Nehwal becomes the first Indian woman to be ranked World No.1

After defeating Ratchanok Intanon 21-16, 21-14 in the final, back in March, Saina won her maiden women's singles title at the India Open BWF Super Series. This feat also propelled her to the top of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings, and she became the first Indian woman and second Indian after Prakash Padukone, to hold this distinction.

5. Sania Mirza 10 WTA titles, World No.1 and 2 Grand Slams

It has undoubtedly been Sania Mirza's best season in her career so far. The 29-year-old became the World No.1 in doubles, won 10 WTA titles – including two Grand Slams – and was named in the BBC 100 inspirational women list.

Her partnership with former Grand Slam winner Martina Hingis is making history, and the duo ended their all-conquering season by lifting the WTA year-ender tournament in Singapore, as they steamrolled eighth seeded Spaniards, Garbine Muguruza and Carla Suarez Navarro 6-0, 6-3 in the final. Incredibly, it extended their winning streak to 22 matches!