For the first time in men's cricket, England went into a Test match with a solitary fast bowler, Mark Wood, picking a spin-heavy attack instead that also included left-arm spinner Hartley.
While bowling in India's spin-friendly conditions remains a dream for many a touring turner, it also means pitting their skills against India's supple-wristed, nimble-footed batters, who relish that kind of bowling.
Hartley entered the series having played 20 first-class matches and he produced a lower-order cameo of 23 in England's first-innings total of 246.
It was his strong suit, with the ball, that did not come off.
Hartley watched helplessly as India's Yashasvi Jaiswal sent his first ball in international cricket soaring over the long-on ropes for a six.
The opener repeated the treatment four balls later to make it a highly forgettable first over in test cricket for Hartley.
The hard-hitting Jaiswal, who smashed 76 not out off 70 balls, appeared to take a liking to Hartley's bowling.
While commentators debated the logic behind continuing with Hartley, he looked clearly under pressure bowling half-volleys, long-hops and even a couple of no-balls.
The closest he came to tasting success was when England, believing Hartley had trapped Shubman Gill lbw, challenged the original not-out decision.
Replays showed the ball would have sailed over the stumps and the gamble cost Ben Stokes and his men their third and final review.
Teammate Ben Duckett denied they had thrown the debutant spinner to the wolves.
"No, not at all. We back Tommy to turn it around," Duckett said when asked if he sympathised with the spinner who bled 63 runs in his nine wicketless overs.
"Stokesy gives him how many overs to bowl and other captains might take you off after two overs and you're then hiding away for the rest of the game.
"That's Stokesy, he keeps bowling him and he nearly had Shubman there at the end."
