Former Blackcaps skipper Brendon McCullum believes New Zealand missed a golden opportunity to create test history in India.
The Blackcaps, who have never won a test series in India, lost 1-0, suffering a record 372-run loss in Mumbai after a fighting draw in Kanpur last week.
But McCullum says New Zealand found themselves in a match-winning position on the final day of the first test and was left frustrated by the defensive-minded batting approach.
Speaking on SENZ Breakfast, McCullum says the second test "hiding" shows how hard it is to compete with India in their own conditions and the result in Kanpur was an opportunity lost.
"New Zealand actually got themselves in the position where they could challenge, could threaten, could potentially achieve something so significant as a test win in India in those conditions, and they didn't take it on," McCullum says.
"Now that to me looks like a huge missed opportunity and I just wonder how much of a psychological impact that day had on this last test match.
"I think it sent a submissive message to the Indian side [saying] 'we actually don't think we can beat you, we think we can compete, but you're probably going to beat us'.
"There's some real concerns there."
McCullum, who is credited for changing the direction of New Zealand cricket during his reign as skipper says experienced players didn't measure up - particularly in Mumbai and he is bemused Neil Wagner was left out of both tests.
"Neil Wagner should have played in Mumbai at worst," McCullum says.
"The other thing I didn't really like - there's a lot of experienced players who have been in India a lot, in the subcontinent a lot, they weren't able to perform.
"We talk about these extremely difficult batting conditions to face spin in and one of our front-line spinners didn't take a single wicket.
"We just didn't really fire a shot.
"I look at this series as a massive lost opportunity."
