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A controversial call by Indian umpire Navtej Singh dashed the Black Sticks' hopes of a much-needed win in the fourth test at Lloyd Elsmore Park.
India, already ahead 1-0 in the series after Saturday's third test had been drawn 1-1, sealed it 2-0 (with the first and third tests drawn) with yesterday's 2-0 victory.
But had New Zealand taken a 1-0 lead into halftime with a successful penalty stroke, it could have been a vastly different result.
New Zealand umpire Simon Taylor awarded the Black Sticks their first penalty corner of the match in the dying minutes of the first spell. In keeping the ball out of their goal, Taylor ruled an Indian player's body was involved and, correctly, awarded the stroke.
That sparked a wave of protests from the petulant Indians who called umpire Singh into the fray. He convinced Taylor to change his call and award a 16-yard hit to India.
New Zealand coach Shane McLeod was far from happy with the decision.
"The umpires have to try to work together but you don't usually have one who has vested interest in the outcome," said McLeod. "We face things like that when we go away but don't expect to happen here. He was well down the field from where it happened."
And, it was not the only dubious call from Singh who, minutes earlier, had awarded the visitors a controversial first penalty corner. "If we had scored just before halftime, it would have set the game up nicely for us," said McLeod.
Dilip Tirkey celebrated his record 400th international by scoring from a 43rd minute penalty corner, again after a call which went against the home side. The scoring was completed three minutes from time when drag flick expert Sandeep Singh scored from a penalty corner.
McLeod and his fellow selectors are today expected to name a team to play the upcoming Azlan Shah tournament in Malaysia.
He will be without key contributors, including Ryan Archibald, Hayden and Brad Shaw, injured Shea McAleese and possibly key midfielder Bryce Collins, who played in Saturday's test but was missing yesterday with on-going knee problems.
Rookie goalkeeper Stephen Graham was the player of the series and will put returning Kyle Pontifex under pressure when the first team to play in Ipoh is selected.
