"This is probably the best Indian team to have traveled to New Zealand. There is no doubt about that it is the best Indian side that I have ever seen," Crowe said.

"Since 1976, when they won here last, they had wonderful players Sunil Gavaskar, Surinder Amarnath, (Gundappa) Viswanath, obviously Bishan (Singh) Bedi and Erapalli Prasanna, all magnificent players. It is the best Indian side since then," said the former captain.

Crowe was surprised that it took India 33 long years to record their first Test win in New Zealand.

"I am certainly surprised that it has taken India 33 years to win a Test match here. When you consider Kapil Dev and I don't think he toured here that much. But with his abilities to win a game and he didn't do that. There have been some great players who have come here from India in those 33 years. So it is a surprise," he said.

Impressed by the quality of cricket dished out by the Indians, Crowe said he would not be surprised if India blanked New Zealand in the Test series.

"India has the ability and potential to clean up 3-0 if they want to, if they are motivated enough, which they should be because all this helps in the rankings and they would want to be the No 1 side in the world," Crowe said.

"You have got to be able to put these minnows away. New Zealand have to be regarded as one because they are just playing very poor Test cricket," said the former skipper.

According to him, the hosts got their team combination wrong and the batting order too is far from perfect.

"Issues around selection were clear. Leaving out Jeetan Patel was a mistake, not having Tim Southee a specialist swing bowler in the side was a mistake. James Franklin in the side at No 6 was a mistake because he has clearly has not proven himself to be a top-order batsman, because he has never been one," Crowe said.