The defeat, in fewer than three days, highlighted the team's dismal record overseas. India last won a Test series outside South Asia against England in 1986.
"The Indian team collapsed inexplicably on a good pitch to lose the first Test and, with it, a chance to win a series overseas again," Gavaskar wrote in The Hindustan Times under the headline: "Indians blown away at windy Wellington".
The visitors were shot out for 161 runs in the first innings and for 121 in the second.
"The batsmen would have been excused for the first day when there was a bit of grass on the pitch and it was overcast, which helped the New Zealand attack, but on the third day there were no excuses whatsoever," Gavaskar added.
"Poor technique
Other daily newspapers also attacked India for their poor showing and praised New Zealand paceman Shane Bond, who grabbed seven wickets in the match.
"Bond starrer proves a tear jerker in India," said a banner headline in The Indian Express, comparing the bowler to fictional British spy James Bond.
The Times of India, under a row of photographs of Indian batsmen hobbling against Bond's express deliveries, carried the headline: "Bond knocks living daylights out of India".
"Why must the much-vaunted batting turn to jelly when the ball seams around a bit, and the wicket has decent bounce and pace?" the newspaper asked.
"Are we really that bad, or are we just bad, bad, bad?"
The second and final test starts in Hamilton on Thursday.
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