The hope was that New Zealand, rated among the best ODI teams in the game, would discover their batting game with the change of format.
However there was plenty to worry the coaches in what they saw tonight.
Martin Guptill got three boundaries in the second over of the match from debutant Hardik Pandya - two of them fortuitous edges through slips - before being squared up and edging to second slip.
Captain Kane Williamson, beaten early by lively and impressive Umesh Yadav, then slashed hard and the ball flew flat and fast to third man.
Ross Taylor's miserable tour continued when he touched a fine Yadav delivery to wicketkeeper MS Dhoni, for his fourth duck in his last eight international innings.
Corey Anderson drove hard to deep mid off when Yadav took a splendid catch diving to his right; Luke Ronchi lamely chipped a catch to the same fielder for a duck; and Jimmy Neesham and Mitchell Santner departed in successive balls from offspinner Kedar Jadhav.
Doug Bracewell scrapped hard in adding 41 with Latham before Southee became the first New Zealand batsman at No 10 to score an ODI half century.
He struck some clean blows, taking 27 in the space of 14 balls at one point, before swinging across the line to be caught.
All the while Latham worked the ball about, 39 of his runs coming in singles, before striking a four then six in consecutive Amit Mishra deliveries just before last man Ish Sodhi was dismissed.
Latham has been New Zealand's most successful batsman on the Indian tour by a street.
Too many dismissals were far too soft, but at least Latham and Southee had given the New Zealand bowlers something to work with, although the challenge seemed an easy one for India at the halfway point.
Pandya and Yadav, both bowling at over 140kph, were impressive in sharing five wickets while Jadhav got two and Mishra three but also took some punishment.
New Zealand have won just five ODIs in India and lost 21 before tonight's match.
