2014 belonged to the captains

Whether you were a fan of MS Dhoni's Test captaincy or not (and towards the end, it was difficult to be one), you had to admit that having him at the helm brought a sense of calm and assurance to the Indian team. It's not as if Indian cricket was suddenly devoid of drama - this isn't and will never be true - but it's undeniable that Dhoni brought a monk-like sagacity to proceedings. It was a case of a team playing in the image of its captain. Think Imran Khan's wounded tigers of '92 or Arjuna Ranatunga's street-smart hustlers of '96. Dhoni's shock retirement from Test cricket at Melbourne capped off a year where skippers hogged the limelight in the cricket world. 2014 was a reminder of just how vital a captain's role is in cricket, especially Test matches.

Pakistan, as per usual for them, had a topsy-turvy year. They lost 2-0 on their tour to Sri Lanka before defeating Australia at home by the same margin. Riding high on the euphoria of this comprehensive victory, they brushed aside New Zealand in the first match of the series, before squandering the advantage to level the series 1-1. One thing was constant amidst all this chaos: the serene batting of their captain, the 40-year-old Misbah-ul-Haq. He had a golden run in 2014, scoring four centuries, including two in one match against Australia. The second of these hundreds was a breathtaking 56-ball 101*, which equalled Viv Richards' world record for the fastest Test century of all time. The Aussie attack had already been worn down by the tireless Younis Khan and the obdurate defence of Azhar Ali. By the time Misbah got down to channelising his inner Afridi, he was faced with tired bowlers who had no reply to his calculated assault. Remarkably, 2014 also saw Misbah dropping himself from the one-day squad following a poor run of form. In light of his glut of runs since then, Pakistan will lean heavily on their oldest player during the World Cup in February.

Misbah could not end his year with another series victory, mostly due to the heroics of his Kiwi counterpart, Brendon McCullum, who took the third and deciding Test by the scruff of the neck. What does a captain do when his team is 1-0 down, has conceded 351 bowling first and is struggling to score quickly on the slow, turning tracks of Sharjah and Abu Dhabi? Why, he must open the batting and pummel the opposition bowlers into submission. From ball one, McCullum decided that the inexperienced Pakistani attack (missing Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan and most of all, Saeed Ajmal) was ripe for the plucking. He charged spinners and seamers alike, going down the track fearlessly, hitting the ball as only he can, en route to an astonishing 202 off just 188 balls, a knock that included 21 fours and 11 sixes. I was watching the match live on television, and more than once, I felt as if I was watching a highlights package instead, such was McCullum's dominance. The rampaging Kiwi followed it up with an even more eye-popping 195 off 134 balls at Christchurch against Sri Lanka, once again hitting 11 sixes. Indian fans, in particular, will remember how McCullum began his year by feasting on a toothless Indian attack - 224 and 302 in consecutive Tests.

Sri Lanka's captain Angelo Mathews was the most improved Test cricketer of the year: his consecutive centuries and positive captaincy in England were the driving force behind his side's triumph - a rare event for Asian teams touring England. In 17 Test innings this year, Mathews scored four centuries and was dismissed for less than 50 only thrice. This purple patch has elevated his Test average by more than 10 points, up to nearly 53 now.

There's more to being a captain than just leading the way on the field, and Michael Clarke proved this. After Philip Hughes' untimely death, the Australian cricketing fraternity was numb with shock and it was clear that Clarke's men were in no shape to play, let alone compete in that inimitable antipodean vein we are so used to now. It was Clarke who stood by Hughes' family when they needed someone to lean on. It was Clarke who read out the family's statement to the press after it was confirmed that Hughes had never woken up from his coma. It was Clarke who delivered an unforgettable speech at the funeral, when the entire world was watching. And against all odds, it was a hobbling, limping Clarke who led Australia to victory in their first match after the tragedy, scoring a fighting century along the way. His back may have broken down once and for all; the man himself has admitted that he might never play cricket again. If this is indeed the case, Clarke has left the game a hero and a true leader of men.

Since the departure of Clarke and Dhoni, the burden of captaincy has been passed on to two precocious young men from Australia and India, respectively: one 25, the other 26. Both Steve Smith and Virat Kohli have responded to the additional responsibility in style so far, hitting contrasting but equally effective twin centuries. 2015 will present them with their greatest challenges: one feels certain that the fortunes of their respective sides will mirror theirs.