Well, at least now the Black Caps are acutely aware of what they'll be up against at the Cricket World Cup.
That's the positive that New Zealand's brains trust are clutching to, after a 4-1 series humbling by India. Three hefty defeats were followed by a dominant victory, before Sunday's finale saw India triumph in the only competitive game of the series; the visitors performing better at the death to claim a 35-run victory.
It was a vast turnaround after the Black Caps had earlier hammered Sri Lanka, but the reality check was welcomed by captain Kane Williamson, who put a positive spin on the series defeat.
"They've been great experiences to have, to learn and try and move our game forward, which is extremely important for us to make steps forward in the right direction.
"The idea is that as a squad you're wanting to have guys in these situations and have these experiences, so over a bigger picture we'll all be better for it. I think that'll be the best part that came out of this series, it was a very tough series.
