The New Zealand captain took on the appearance of a tradesman who had misplaced his work tools when the opening match of the three-test series ended in a tame draw at Sardar Patel Stadium.
Vettori was caught short through no fault of his own, an under-staffed bowling unit shorn of injured medium pacer Jesse Ryder and quickie Hamish Bennett, who is being sent home for treatment, leaving him with glue when nails were required to tightly seal a lid on India's second innings.
In the end a draw was a good result for the tourists against the No 1-ranked test nation but it could have been different had Vettori a full complement of bowlers to challenge the hosts on a benign pitch still playing few tricks as the test meandered to a stalemate.
Almost everything was in New Zealand's favour entering the final day; India resumed at 82 for six, leading by an unconvincing 110 runs, before emerging to fight another day after Harbhajan Singh struck his maiden test century in his 88th test and middle order rock VVS Laxman set solid foundations with 91.
By the time they were parted, with Laxman having every reason to be very, very sceptical about a leg before wicket decision from Australian umpire Steve Davis, India had progressed to 228 after lunch on the final day.
India were eventually dismissed for 266, thanks to Harbhajan's 115, and in the short time left the tourists managed 22 for one in their second innings, with opener Tim McIntosh bagging a pair after he went leg before wicket to Zaheer Khan.
As is his nature, Vettori was not complaining afterwards but there is no question a fully equipped New Zealand would have asked harder questions of Harbhajan and Laxman as they saved the home team's bacon with a record seventh wicket stand worth 163 runs in 230 minutes.
"We wanted a couple of guys to give short, sharp spells and keep attacking. Unfortunately our limited resources didn't allow us to," said Vettori, who was reduced to turning to the likes of Ross Taylor and former wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum to roll their arms over.
Ironically, Taylor proved a hit, snaring his first two test wickets for four runs, including Harbhajan, who turned a gentle full toss directly to BJ Watling behind square leg.
"We talked this morning about the first session being the key and we had to take early wickets through discipline," Vettori said.
"We were disciplined but we didn't have the penetration we needed; that was the wicket and the resources that we had.
"I would have loved to have used Hamish Bennett in short, sharp spells and on that wicket Jesse Ryder would have been a little bit of a handful. That would have meant (fellow spinner) Jeetan Patel and myself could have attacked more."
The writing was on the wall early for New Zealand once fast bowler Chris Martin was seen off without fuss.
Not surprisingly, Martin could not reproduce his fourth day heroics when India were spectacularly reduced to 15 for five then 65 for six as the 35-year-old revisited his youth with a head turning five for 25 from 13 overs.
He went wicketless today before finishing with five for 63, which still represented his best test return in 5-1/2 years.
Vettori admitted Martin was feeling the pinch after his exertions a day earlier.
"He said he couldn't feel his legs in the second session. He was hanging in there and he still bowled pretty well but on the fifth day you want a couple of guys to give you short, sharp spells and keep attacking."
So the final day belonged to India after a test match in which the much maligned New Zealanders stood up for themselves, no more so than debutant Kane Williamson, who crafted a high quality 131 for his maiden test hundred, and Ryder, who was with him for so long in making 103 during a fifth wicket partnership of 194 in their first innings of 459.
India, 1st Innings: 487
New Zealand, 1st Innings: 459
India, 2nd Innings
(Overnight: 82 for six)
Gautam Gambhir c Hopkins b Martin 0
Virender Sehwag run out 1
Rahul Dravid c Hopkins b Martin 1
Sachin Tendulkar b Martin 12
VVS Laxman lbw b Vettori 91
Suresh Raina c Taylor b Martin 0
Mahendra Singh Dhoni b Martin 22
Harbhajan Singh c Watling b Taylor 115
Zaheer Khan lbw b Vettori 0
Pragyan Ojha not out 9
S. Sreesanth c Hopkins b Taylor 4
Extras: (1nb, b10) 11
TOTAL: (all out) 266
Overs: 102.4.
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, 4-15, 5-15, 6-65, 7-228, 8-228, 9-260, 10-266.
Bowling: Chris Martin 27-8-63-5, Daniel Vettori 38-8-81-2, Jeetan Patel 23-1-72-0, Kane Williamson 4-0-18-0, Ross Taylor 4.4-2-4-2, Brendon McCullum 6-1-18-0.
New Zealand, 2nd innings
Tim McIntosh lbw b Khan 0
Brendon McCullum not out 11
BJ Watling not out 2
Extras: (4b, 5w) 9
TOTAL: (for one wicket) 22
Overs: 10
Fall of wicket: 1-4.
Bowling: Zaheer Khan 4-2-7-1, S. Sreesanth 1-0-4-0, Pragyan Ojha 3-2-1-0, Suresh Raina 1-0-1-0, Mahendra Singh Dhoni 1-0-5-0.
