5 reasons why New Zealand did not perform to potential

#4 Lack of wicket taking spinners

Santner was economical but not threatening

It has to be said that Mitchell Santner and Jeetan Patel bowled extremely well during the Test series. But what they did lack was wickets. While they were tight and bowled stump to stump. they caused hardly any discomfort and the wickets just did not come.

India lost six wickets in an innings three times this series, yet they managed to add a further 57, 116 and 157 runs. New Zealand's corresponding additions - 7, 42, 82 and 41 - tell you where this series has been won and lost. India had spinners who could run havoc through the tail. New Zealand didn't.

Mark Craig, in his only outing, was average at best. Ish Sodhi was wayward and went for runs, but his leg-spin could have come in handy ahead of an extra seam bowling spot in the latter half of the series. While Hesson and Williamson certainly did not think so, it has to be said that they missed a wicket taking spinner like Sodhi. Leg spinners are match winners and Sodhi is definitely one. He might have had a bad game in Kanpur but he has the right tools.