New Zealand sealed a 3-0 Test series sweep over India, proving home advantage is slipping.
India’s pace attack, with Shardul Thakur and Jasprit Bumrah, raked 25 wickets, while the Kiwi bowlers struggled on the bouncy wickets.
The turning point came in the third Test at Basin Reserve, when the Indian batsmen exploited the extra bounce to break the New Zealand partnership.
Stead, who guided New Zealand to the 2024 Test Championship, cautioned that the old "green track" strategy is dead: "They now have quality seamers," he said.
He added that T20's influence is seeping into Test play, urging the ICC to consider more multi‑format series to keep fans engaged.
With the T20 showdown in Bengaluru looming, India must adapt again to the bouncy pitches if they want to stay in the hunt.