When the Windies arrived in December, they were ranked ahead of New Zealand and, if shorn of a handful of their best players, were still expected to be a handful.
So it proved in the drawn first test at Dunedin where, having been asked to follow on, Darren Bravo's double century and untimely final afternoon rain deprived New Zealand of a win.
Ross Taylor had hit a double century, the first of three in succession, equalling Mark Burgess (1969-72) as the only New Zealanders to have done so, and Brendon McCullum got a monkey off his back with a century.
From then on they dominated the West Indies.
Taylor's century and Trent Boult's 10 for 80, when he had the ball on a string in helpful Basin Reserve conditions, set up a three-day, innings win.
Sunil Narine was a handful at Hamilton. But so, too, were Tim Southee and Trent Boult as the Windies folded for 103 in their second innings.
New Zealand uncovered a new star in heavy-hitting allrounder Corey Anderson with the world's fastest ODI century, in 36 balls, at Queenstown.
When they won a few days later in Nelson, again comfortably, it seemed a formality to wrap up the series at Hamilton.
New Zealand didn't count on Dwayne Bravo, spectacularly, and Kirk Edwards, hitting centuries as they made their highest ODI total and won easily, the 203-run loss New Zealand's second heaviest ever.
Suitably chastened, the two T20s were a job done well, so New Zealand were in a decent space when India arrived.
Magnificent India, the world's No 1 ODI side, were expected to give New Zealand some hurry-up. Instead, New Zealand determined to show their qualities.
And so they peeled off four ODI wins, in varying circumstances, some seriously tight contests, the last the most convincing by far. They were split only by a thrilling tie at Eden Park.
The first test was won in a strong show of heart and self-belief when things could have gone off the rails on the final afternoon.
McCullum's 224, followed by India's weak first innings, left the hosts 301 ahead, only for them to tumble for 105, in the second innings.
India needed 407 and gave it a serious shake.
Neil Wagner picked a fine time for his finest test, taking eight wickets as victory was clinched.
Yesterday's denouement could only have been bettered by a victory.
But the manner of the fightback, orchestrated by McCullum with BJ Watling and debutant Jimmy Neesham - with the highest score on debut by a No 8 batsman - able lieutenants, left a rosy glow on a summer of immense satisfaction.
