In less than nine months, India once again found themselves on the champions' podium -- this time in the ICC Champions Trophy -- after defeating New Zealand by four wickets in the final in Dubai yesterday. The victory also saw India become the first team to win the prestigious title three times, in 2013 and when they were named joint-champions with hosts Sri Lanka in 2002. 

Despite a few hiccups, India rarely looked in trouble as they chased down the 252-run target set by New Zealand with an over to spare, backed by a passionate Indian crowd at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

In stark contrast to their 11-year drought in ICC events following their second Champions Trophy title in 2013, the Men in Blue have turned their fortunes around in recent times. They ended their trophyless run in June last year by clinching the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA, securing a dramatic win against South Africa in the final.

India seemed to have finally acquired the winning edge needed to overcome their struggles in global tournaments, having spent over a decade falling short in the knockout stages. Their most painful setback came in the 2023 ODI World Cup, where they suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Australia in the final on home soil.

The fact that India advanced to the knockout stages in six of the last seven ICC events speaks volumes about their cricketing prowess. Now, having won two major ICC titles in such a short span, they have reaffirmed their authority on the global stage.

However, India's latest Champions Trophy triumph did not come without controversy. Having refused to travel to Pakistan, the hosts of the event, India played all their matches in Dubai. While other teams, including Pakistan, had to travel between cities and even visit the UAE for matches against India, Rohit Sharma's side enjoyed the advantage of being acclimated to Dubai's conditions.

Rohit, however, emphasised that his team's success was built on their performance throughout the tournament.

"We played some really good cricket throughout the tournament. To come out and have the result go our way is a great feeling. Very happy with how we played this game," said Rohit, who set the tone for the chase with a match-winning 76 off 83 balls.

Meanwhile, New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner praised India's spinners and acknowledged Rohit's impact on the game while also lamenting that his team were about 25 runs short in the crucial contest.

"We lost a couple of wickets after the Powerplay. Credit to the way their spinners bowled -- all four of them, world-class. We were 25 runs short, but we had a total and tried to fight," said Santner.

"The Powerplay was the best time to bat. Rohit and [Shubman] Gill cashed in, and Rohit's innings was outstanding, putting us on the back foot," he added.

With this loss, New Zealand have now suffered five defeats in ICC white-ball event finals since their ICC Knockout Trophy win in 2000. Meanwhile, India, after years of near misses, may have ushered in a new era of dominance on the world stage.