Remarkable performances by Indian athletes have made India proud by creating a big impact on in the global arena in 2016. The year has not only seen cricket but other sports stars have also climbed to big heights
As we approach to welcome the New Year 2017, we have reasons to cheer as our Indian players have given us enough opportunity to feel proud. The year 2016 has been a successful year for sporting activities. Remarkable performances by Indian athletes have made India proud by creating a big impact on in the global arena in 2016. Today, we are featuring top sporting stars of the year.
1. Virat Kohli, Cricket
India's test captain, Virat Kohli has managed to tumble many records in the year with grabbing number #1 position in the Test Cricket. Kohli has also achieved a feat which many other Indian captains have never achieved by winning three series victories, including a record 18-match unbeaten record in the history of test cricket. He has also become the third batsman, who has scored a record three double-centuries in Tests in a calendar year and the first Indian captain to achieve the feat.
2. Vijender Singh, Boxing
Well he is the new heartthrob for girls across the globe. More than this he has scaled a new high in his fast-rising professional career when he clinched the WBO Asia Pacific Super Middleweight title and then went on to defend it. Since turning professional, the former Olympic bronze medalist has been undefeated in eights bouts claiming two KOs, 5 TKOs and one by unanimous decision that led him to the title.
3. Varun Bhati, High Jump
This boy has won bronze medal in the T-42 high jump at Rio Paralympics with a magnificent record of 1.86 metres jump. The young boy has also clinched a gold medal at the 2016 IPC Athletics Asia-Oceania Championship with a jump of 1.82 metres.
4. Thangavelu Mariyappan, High Jump
Another son who has achieved feat in high jump by winning India's first gold medal in the T-42 high jump at the Rio Paralympics. He has jumped 1.89 metres to win first gold medal of the quadrennial event in Brazil.
5. PR Sreejesh, Hockey
The Indian hockey has flourished ever since PR Sreejesh has taken the charge of the team. Under his captaincy, Indian hockey team has won Men's Asian Champions Trophy beating our most favourite rival Pakistan in the final. Importantly, the team has also won its first ever silver medal at the Champions Trophy, qualified for the knockouts at the Rio Olympics despite being placed in a tough group.
6. Smriti Mandhana, Cricket
With 320 runs in just eight ODIs and 286 in T20s, Smriti Mandhana has became the first Indian woman cricketer to be named in the ICC Women' Team of the Year. She was the second highest run-getter for India in ODI and the third highest in T20Is.
By agreeing to play for Australia's Big Bash League, she has also become the second Indian woman cricketer after Harmanpreet Kaur to strike a deal with BBL.
7. Sania Mirza, Tennis
She needs no introduction. An ace tennis star from India has been a fantastic player. She has become the first Indian woman to hold the No.1 ranking after winning the Volvo Car Open. In partnership with Rohan Bopanna in mixed doubles at Rio Olympics, the duo put up an impressive show to reach semi-finals.
8. Sakshi Malik, Wrestling
The feisty 23-year-old girl from Haryana scripted history when she earned a dramatic come-from-behind win over Kyrgysztan's Aisuluu Tynybekova in the Olympic. With clinching a medal in Olympic, she became the first woman wrestler from India to win an Olympic medal.
9. Ravichandran Ashwin
He is the fastest Indian to get 200 wickets by finishing the year as the highest wicket-taker in the Test Cricket. He was instrumental in ensuring an unbeaten runs in the domestic Test cricket. The 30-year-old capped off a sensational year by being adjudged the ICC Cricketer of the Year to win the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy. He was also the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year.
10. PV Sindhu
In her first Olympics, PV Sindhu dispatched higher-ranked opponents including London Olympics silver medalist Yihan Wang of China. She set up the summit clash with the all-conquering Carolina Marin of Spain. While she came up short, Sindhu made history becoming the first women Indian athlete to claim an individual silver medal at the Olympics. Later in the year, Sindhu won her first China Open Super Series and then finished second at the Hong Kong Super Series.