Ashwin was part of India's 2011 World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy wins.
Following its victory in the 2013 Champions Trophy in England, India struggled to capture ICC silverware. However, they have already won the 2025 Champions Trophy, nine months after the 2024 T20 World Cup.
After winning the 2013 Champions Trophy, India reached the finals of the 2014 T20 World Cup but lost to Sri Lanka, they then lost in the 2015 and 2019 ICC World Cup semi-finals and the 2017 Champions Trophy final. India also reached the semi-final of the ICC T20 World Cup in 2022.
One of the biggest blows came when India lost to Australia in the 2023 World Cup final, despite dominating the whole tournament and winning all the preceding matches, only to lose at the last hurdle.
Ashwin explained how crucial the T20 World Cup 2024 victory over South Africa was since it unleashed India from being a team that always stumbled in the knockouts.
“The day before the 2024 T20 World Cup Final, I was praying slightly to let India win somehow because we had not won only. We were reaching the finals and it was a case of so close, yet so far. We could not win a title all those years because of luck, because we were a quality team. We could have won a lot more in the last 10 years. There were a lot of close games, but now this is an amazing feeling,” Ashwin said on his YouTube Channel.
Several reports suggested that India head coach Gautam Gambhir’s future hinged on how the team would fare at the Champions Trophy.
“I think the world, as a cricketing fraternity, will take some time to catch up with the Indian team because if they are going to go on this flow and if we keep finding bowlers, then it will take some catching," Ashwin added.
The Indian bowling unit, led by four spinners, was critical to the team's championship victory. India won the Champions Trophy for the third time with a spotless record, defeating New Zealand by four wickets in the final.