In the most extraordinary fashion, India were beaten 3-0 by New Zealand on home turf. Here are the takeaways from a historic series.
India continue to pay the price on turning wickets
In the Bengaluru Test, it was seam bowling which dominated the game, starting from the first innings where India were shot out for 46 on the morning of day two.
The hosts rolled out turning wickets for the last two matches in Pune and Mumbai, and ended up paying the price. Mitchell Santner, who has a thoroughly underwhelming Test record, took 13 wickets in Pune before Ajaz Patel starred in Mumbai.
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It's long been suggested that these wickets have only been detrimental to India, given the current ability of their batters against spin bowling, not to mention how such wickets close the gap in quality between their own spinners and the opposition's. Santner and Ajaz, much like Tom Hartley and Matthew Kuhnemann before them, benefitted from this.
But once again, on both counts, India ended up paying the price – this time a much heavier one.
Pant continues to look a cut above India's other batters
Pant returned to Test cricket against Bangladesh in September, and all eyes were on him then to see if he would be fit enough to handle the rigours of batting and keeping wickets in the longest format.
He was once again the centre of attention against New Zealand, although this time it was more for the quality of his batting. This was most evident in Mumbai, where he struck two half-centuries at better than a run-a-ball on a wicket where most batters couldn't survive 20 deliveries.
He finished as the series' leading run-scorer, and the only other Indian to average over 40 with the bat was Washington Sundar, who scored 89 runs and was not out twice.
Pant's fitness is still in question, especially after he took a knock to his knee in Bengaluru, but going into the Border-Gavaskar Trophy later this month, he remains the side's most in-form batter. It's almost like he never left.
Sundar shows promise for the post-Ashwin & Jadeja era
Sundar's call-up to the Test squad came out of the blue, in the aftermath of the Bengaluru loss. There was also widespread confusion when he made the XI in Pune, ahead of Kuldeep Yadav. But for Sundar's part, he quickly shut those sentiments down.
Making a Test comeback after nearly four years, Sundar starred with 11 wickets in Pune, and five more in Mumbai, bowling with immaculate control and constantly threatening. With bat in hand (considered his stronger red-ball suit), he twice ran out of partners and was the last man out in the final innings of the series.
There's enough there to say that with Ashwin and Jadeja perhaps over the hill and on the way down, Sundar has shown real promise to step up as a genuine Test-quality all-rounder on a consistent basis.
New Zealand manage to find multiple heroes
For all the focus on India's errors and missteps, New Zealand were always within striking distance, and managed to find a different hero every time they needed them. It was first Matt Henry, followed by Rachin Ravindra and Tim Southee in Bengaluru.
Mitchell Santner was the star in Pune, but support came from Tom Latham with the bat. Ajaz Patel did the damage in Mumbai, but Daryl Mitchell and Will Young stepped up with the bat. Through it all, Young with the bat and Glenn Phillips with the ball also remained pillars of support for the main cast.
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Their triumph illustrated another stand-out facet of New Zealand cricket – with a small talent pool, players are encouraged to pick up multiple skills. Four of their batters could keep wickets and two could bowl. Two of their pacers could wield the willow to a solid degree, while all three spinners also had the ability to stick around.
India's transition phase has well and truly begun
Four of India's senior players struggled through this series – Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli with the bat, and R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja with the ball (although the latter two did show flashes of their usual brilliance).
As far as Ashwin is concerned, his next opportunity to play for India may only be in the next home match – which is near on a year away. The other three likely have the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to look forward to, but another poor showing there could lead to patience beginning to wear thin.
The road forward is still not entirely clear, but India are now a team that needs to start their succession planning – if not because of age, then at least because of results.
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