At the start of the summer, Black Caps coach Gary Stead acknowledged that his side could be accurately assessed based on the games ahead.
With six matches to go, they are going to need to produce a remarkable turnaround to earn a pass mark.
Showdowns against England, Australia and India were always going to provide the Black Caps' toughest summer of cricket in years, and while it got off to a strong start with a test-series victory over England, the flaws in New Zealand's game have been exposed against Australia and India.
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While optimism was plentiful following the superb World Cup campaign and a slew of victories over the past few years, Australia provided a significant step up, and immediately showed that the Black Caps' victories over nations with lesser credentials were just that, with a thumping 3-0 test series victory.