A star-studded Indian team was given a reality check by a disciplined New Zealand side that completed a memorable series sweep with a seven-wicket win inside three days in the second Test here on Monday.

New Zealand chased down a modest victory target of 132 in just 36 overs after India’s second innings folded for 124 in less than an hour on the third day.

A solid 120 points took New Zealand’s tally to 180 even as India stayed on top with 360 points courtesy their series wins against the lowly West Indies, depleted South Africa and a below-par Bangladesh.

The feel-good factor of a 5-0 T20 series victory seemed like ancient history as a dream start turned into a virtual nightmare for Virat Kohli’s bunch that has always taken immense pride in performing in overseas conditions.

However, a look at India;s overseas performance indicates that whenever the ball had swung and seamed, reputations had been laid in tatters. It happened in England in 2014 and 2018 and now New Zealand have exposed them one more time.

Prithvi Shaw is a work in progress when it comes to his decision-making on deliveries on the fourth stump and, of course, the short ball, which the Kiwis used liberally to get rid of him since the start of the practice games.

Kohli’s problems against the seaming deliveries resurfaced again during the series but there is little time to go back to the drawing board with a packed schedule for the remaining part of the year.

India will next play in seaming conditions in England in 2021 and hence some of the issues may just persist with no time in the interim for a course correction.

On Monday, there was another lower-order collapse as the last four wickets went for 34 runs, but lack of gumption from someone like Rishabh Pant, playing for his place in the side, was disheartening.

It was the pair of Tim Southee and Trent Boult , which once again tormented the Indian batsmen, who were all at sea against quality bowling on a slightly challenging track.In the morning, Hanuma Vihari (9) was caught down the leg-side off an innocuous Southee delivery.