2015 ODI cricket round-up: India's Top 5 Most Valuable Players of the Year

India reached the semi-finals of the 2015 World Cup and lost to eventual champions Australia13 wins, 9 losses and a match washed out. This is India’s record in ODIs this year, which is not bad. India started the year in the Carlton-Mid ODI tri-series in Australia in which India were knocked out of the tournament without winning a match.This woke up all the critics ahead of the 2015 ICC World Cup and the defending Champions were tainted as an unfit team by the fans. But to everyone’s surprise, the MS Dhoni-led side silenced the critics as they went unbeaten in the group stages and reached the semi-finals where they lost to eventual champions Australia.What followed next is a phase that the team will like to forget as they lost to Bangladesh for the first time in a bilateral series. Then the second-string Indian team toured Zimbabwe and whitewashed the hosts without any difficulties.The litmus test for the men in blue came in October when they hosted South Africa in a five-match ODI series, which was won by the Proteas. Even though the overall performance has been just above average, there were some individual performers who had a good year with the team.Let us take a look at the top 5 most valuable players for India in ODIs this year:

#5 Mohammad Shami

Mohammad Shami was India's best bowler in the World Cup as India picked up 70 wickets in their campaign

Mohammad Shami was by far India’s best bowler in the World Cup but was out of action after the extravaganza as he underwent a knee surgery. Figures of 19 wickets from 10 innings at an average of just above 20 with an economy of 4.77 shows why India missed him in the all-important series against South Africa.

Shami was a vital cog for India in ODIs ever since he made his debut against Pakistan at New Delhi in 2012 and skipper MS Dhoni will be hoping to have his best bowler ahead of the tour of Australia later next month.

#4 Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan's World Cup form gets him into this list

Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan must be lucky to be featured in this list as he had a pathetic Carlton-Mid triangular series and an equally below-par ODI series against South Africa.

But his performances in the World Cup made him the second-leading run scorer for India in this year. 412 runs from 8 matches at an average of 51 made sure he finished the World Cup as the leading run scorer for India.

Apart from these 8 matches, he scored 333 runs from 12 matches at an average of just over 27. But he made it to the list ahead of his fellow batsmen courtesy the performances of them which were not up to the mark.

In 2015, Dhawan scored 745 runs in 20 innings at an average of 37.25 with a high score of 138.

#3 Umesh Yadav

Umesh Yadav picked up most wickets in the World Cup for India

Umesh Yadav might not be a popular choice among the fans to get into the 5 most valuable players for India in 2015. The Vidarbha pacer might have leaked runs whenever he came on to bowl, but he ends the year as the leading wicket-taker for India this year.

A bowler with 25 wickets from 14 matches at an average of 25.28 is a record which 9 out of 10 captains would like to have. His economy of 5.72 might be on a higher side, but given the situations he bowled in (field restriction overs, batting powerplay and slog overs in which only four fielders are allowed in the boundaries), this can be considered as a good performance.

He was also the leading wicket-taker for India in the World Cup with 18 wickets from 8 matches and was one of the reasons why India went on to pick 70 wickets in 7 matches at the World Cup.

#2 R Ashwin

Ashwin has grown into India's most threatening bowler

The off-spinner, who is India’s best cricketer in 2015 comes second in the list of best ODI performers for India this year. Ashwin picked up 21 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 24.57 with an economy of 4.27.

Ashwin had a great World Cup as he bowled economically throughout the tournament whenever he came on to bowl. Even after the World Cup, Ashwin continued his good form as he was the pick of the Indian bowlers in all the series.

Like other seniors, he was also rested for the Zimbabwe tour and returned to the side in the South Africa series, in which he played just an ODI and even in that, he failed to complete his quota of 10 overs as he left the field due to a side-strain. He has the best economy among the Indian bowlers this year.

#1 Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma was India's best ODI batsman in 2015

Few years back, who would have thought that this ‘flop’ would be one of the best openers in ODIs around the world? But the Mumbaikar has denied all odds and let his bat do the talking ever since he was promoted as the opener in the limited overs format.

Rohit began the year on a great note as he scored a stroke-filled 138 against the Aussies at Melbourne in the Carlton-Mid triangular series before he was injured for rest of the tournament.

He came back into the playing XI for the World Cup and had a slow start. But he arrived at the stage with a match-winning 137 at the MCG against Bangladesh in the quarter-finals and looked good for a big one in the semis too.

100 runs in 3 innings against Bangladesh must have been disappointing for a batsman of his caliber. After being rested for the Zimbabwe tour, he had a sensational series against the Proteas as he scored a stunning 150 at Kanpur and a 60 odd at Rajkot, both in a losing cause.

Overall, Rohit is India’s best ODI player in 2015 as he ended the year with 815 runs in 17 innings at an average of 51 and a highest of 150.