2009 will be etched as the watershed year for the popular sport, as well as for the not-so-popular disciplines, writes Ayanjit Sen.

It's for the first time ever. Indeed.

This brand advertisement has triggered ecstasy and the typical Indian market has graciously overlooked the asterisk and the microscopic ‘conditions-apply' scribbled at the right-hand bottom.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has greyed studying behaviour pattern of the ICC rankings, Gautam Gambhir is still clueless how he became the best Test batsman by default and slipped by the same angle, and, even after the first sunrise of scaling the Test peak, there are murmurs of descent. Never mind.

Because the country of billions has finally flaunted its vital statistics; 2009 will be etched as the watershed year for the popular sport, as well as for the not-so-popular disciplines run by perennially cash-strapped associations inside well-decorated interiors.

In the last twelve months, the common man has seen many fresh faces on television endorsing products, participating in reality shows, and heard about individuals who went up the ladder, and even fiddled with the No.1 dangling overhead.

Vijender Singh, perhaps, is destined to be dyed in bronze during all world events, but he's the golden boy outside the boxing ring.

He picked up the number one rakings in his weight category and has since been spotted at ramp shows of leading designers, alongside Salman Khan and Mallika Sherawat, sells insurance to television viewers and registers minimum two inaugurations a month.

There are several other low-profile candidates with an impressive CV waiting to be shortlisted for 2009; Saina Nehwal's credentials of jumping into the top ten of badminton is the best effort of the year; she's at present eight, touched seven at her peak before a bout of chicken pox forced her to redraw her plans midway.

Manavjit Singh Sandhu has been shooting India to glory in the double trap event while Jayanta Talukdar hit the bulls eye for a considerable period in archery.

India's quiet but the most consistent flagbearer, Vishawanathan Anand, had been inactive players on the chess circuit amongst all top notch players; he's dropped down to World no. 3 even as he prepares meticulously to defend the World championship title to be held April next year but India's domination in the 64 squares came through little Soumya Swaminathan, who became the girls' junior world champion while SP Sethuraman and Vidit Gujarathi provided double scoop with 1-2 finish at the under-16 world championships.

India's domination on the junior circuit has been a bit more pronounced compared to the transition into the big bad world. Reasons are up for debate but Yuki Bhambri, the beanpole from the Bhambri clan, created history by becoming the first Indian to win the Australian Open boys' title.

Bhambri thus replicated illustrious the father-son duo of Ramanathan Krishnan and Ramesh Krishnan and the ageless wonder Leander Paes in holding aloft a Grand Slam trophy. Bhambri, the top seed, was forced to skip the subsequent French Open and then withdrew from the All England as he opted to score points to come out of the shadows.

That didn't stop him from taking the top spot in junior rankings, though.

More individuals remained on course to earn their five minutes of fame; golf's elitist tag received public applause when Jeev Milkha Singh won an European title, his contemporary Jyoti Randhawa capped an Asian title while rookie Gaganjeet Bhullar reserved three weeks in the calendar where he won a title, came second and also qualified for the prestigious British Open.

Golf has a bigger pool of talent piling up, but there's not many inside the swimming pool. Virdhawal Khade and Sandeep Sejwal won bronze at the Asian championships in China, sharing seven medals amongst themselves.

Teamwork has had its reflections in 2009 with Indian football team retaining the Nehru Cup amidst a high-octane penalty shootout and an unlikely packed-audience at the Ambedkar Stadium and qualify for the Asia Cup even as an ailing Priya Ranjan Das Munshi handed over charge to Praful Patel as AIFF supreme.

Not to be left out of the countdown, India's national sport came into prominence with a brand new association for itself - Hockey India to desperately prevent world body FIH from snatching away the World Cup.

The wrangling continues till date within the association and it spilled on to the field when freshly hired Spanish coach Jose Brasa was confronted with a player rebellion towards the end of the year.

However, the usual rantings notwithstanding, the Indian hockey team won the Azlan Shah Cup, a feat not achieved since the hey days, even though the near future has little indications to take the victory as any parameter for judgment.

And then there's motorsport, where neither the driver is an Indian nor the engine.

But owner Vijay Mallya and the name Force India stuck a chord to suck in ample fan following when they logged their first podium finish after near-misses on several occasions.

India's vehicle is still far from cruising but during the journey in 2009, it's got on the highway. It's time to press the accelerator.