It has certainly been a humbling winter for England in the Test arena.
A last session capitulation in Chennai on Tuesday saw a disappointing series end in miserable fashion as India were handed a 4-0 series victory.
On the face of it, this has been a dreadful winter for Alastair Cook’s side in the longest format of the game, amid questions about his continued tenure as captain.
They suffered their first ever Test defeat against Bangladesh in late October before being outclassed by India and losing each of their final four contests in comprehensive fashion.
But when you delve deeper into their winter exploits, there is more than enough to suggest England can bounce back during a huge 2017 leading up to the Ashes in Australia next winter.
There is no shame being beaten by a brilliant India side who, particularly on home soil, would most likely prevail over any side.
With the sheer genius of Virat Kohli supported by numerous other prolific run-scorers who thrive in sub-continent conditions, plus spinning expertise in the form of Ravi Ashwin and Ravi Jadeja, an England victory was always going to be an uphill task.
The tourists were able to compete.
However, criticism could be attributed to the occasional lapse in concentration and lacklustre sessions for which they were made to pay the price against their ruthless opponents.
Missed chances in the field and batting collapses like that seen on the final day in Chennai were all too prevalent and were always going to be punished.
But this will serve as a wake-up call to a young England side which could well prove crucial to their apprenticeship within the Test setup.
Individually, almost every England player showed they can perform against the best in the world in the sub-continent.
Although there may be doubts surrounding his captaincy, Alastair Cook has racked up 369 runs at the top of the order.
The ever-dependable Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow both averaged over 40 in the middle order, whilst Moeen Ali struck a quite brilliant 146 in the first innings in Chennai.
Youngster Haseem Hameed appeared unfazed by his international introduction, digging in to hit a gutsy 59 not out in the third Test whilst nursing a broken finger which forced him to head home early.
His replacement, Keaton Jennings, also showed he is right at home as an international opener with a century and half century in his four innings.
With ball in hand, Adil Rashid went back to basics and came of age to a degree as he looks to become the spin bowling threat England crave.
Talismanic all-rounder Ben Stokes took a brilliant five-wicket haul in the third Test and was arguably underutilised with the ball whilst he also struck a magnificent century in the first Test.
There is no escaping from the fact that, ultimately, England were simply beaten by a side who were far superior in the conditions.
However, this crushing defeat will simply highlight the areas where they must develop – and it also offers proof that all the tools are there for Trevor Bayliss to make this team a success.
Consistency and focus will need to be honed, but that is sure to come with time in a team containing so many young players.
Heading into a seven month break from Test cricket, England learnt a lot about their players over the course of a gruelling couple of months. If resources are managed correctly moving forwards, then they could be fresh for an exciting period over the summer.
After focusing on limited overs cricket in the opening stages of the summer, including the eagerly-anticipated ICC Champions Trophy in June, they will take on South Africa in four Tests beginning on July 6 at Lords.
They will then face the West Indies in three Tests before heading Down Under in a bid to retain the Ashes.
Whilst doom and gloom may be rife after being thrashed by India, the wheels are already in motion in their quest to enjoy a successful summer and eventually overcome their arch rivals this time next year.
In the meantime, their in-form ODI side will gear up for a mouth-watering spell of limited overs cricket culminating in the ICC Champions Trophy.
Hopes of claiming major silverware on home soil are high – and their journey will include a massive group stage match against New Zealand at The SSE SWALEC in Cardiff on June 6. For ticket details please visit www.icc-cricket.com/tickets