Shane Watson has revealed his passion for coaching, and says that dramatically different experiences under the past two national coaches will hold him in good stead for such a role in the future.

Watson, who is currently recovering from ankle and calf problems in a bid to return to the national side for a bumper home summer, hit his lowest point during reign of former national coach Mickey Arthur after he was suspended from a Test match during the infamous ‘homework-gate’ controversy in March 2013.

Some four months later, under Darren Lehmann, the allrounder was enjoying his cricket more than ever.

And it’s that dramatic transformation in fortunes that has inspired him.

“(Coaching) is something that I’m very passionate about,” he told cricket.com.au.

“I’m very lucky to have had some great coaches and some of the best coaches that have been in and around world cricket, and Darren’s been a perfect example of that – to see how someone has been able to come in and change things around very quickly.

“I owe a hell of a lot to Darren because I was at a stage where I didn’t know where I was at with my international career especially, and Darren came in – and not just for me, I know it was for a lot of other guys as well – and just provided an amazing injection into what was required for us to be able to get back on track, (and) we got back on track very quickly.”

Prior to Lehmann’s arrival in the national job, the tumultuous period under Arthur reaffirmed to Watson exactly what was important in terms of leadership and mentoring.

Watson and other members of the team were flummoxed by a series of coaching decisions which they felt were contributing to what had become a negative team environment.

In a cricket.com.au interview earlier this year, Mitch Johnson described the mood as depressing.

“Deep down I felt like I still wanted to play for Australia, but I didn’t want to play in that environment. I’m not sure if I would have walked away from it, but I was definitely talking to my wife and to a few of the senior guys about it as well. It was pretty ordinary, it wasn’t enjoyable,” Johnson said.

Watson became an obvious opponent to Arthur, to the point that, following his sacking, the former coach admitted he had “lost” the team’s vice-captain.

“I was very strong about that (his opposition to Arthur), and for good or bad (consequences),” Watson said.

“I only had it for the best intentions, because I knew with the teams I’d been around, especially the great teams I’d been involved in, the dynamic that was required, and the brand of cricket that was required for us to play at our best or give ourselves the best chance of winning.”

Suspended for the third Test along with Mitchell Johnson, Usman Khawaja and James Pattinson for failing to complete a written task assigned to all squad members, Watson found himself frustrated at what had become a difficult and ultimately ineffective working environment.

“Any time you are suspended from a Test match, unless you have done something unbelievably wrong, and obviously everyone knows what those rules are, I think it is very harsh,” Watson told The Australian at the time.

As he has done repeatedly in the face of injury throughout his career, Watson opted to press on. After a flying visit home to be at the birth of his first child, he had to swallow his pride ahead of resuming his place for the fourth Test. Then within two days, he was appointed skipper in place of the injured Michael Clarke.

From being forced out of the side, to witnessing the birth of his first child, to the Test captaincy – all in the space of one frenzied fortnight.

Watson, regularly scorned for the limitations of a body that refuses to keep up with the rigorous regimen of international cricket, showed no such fragility of the mind when presented with an opportunity to lead his country in a Test match.

Calling on lessons learned from legends such as Ponting, Warne and McGrath, he employed a game plan based on flat-out aggression.

“Because that’s how I got brought up playing cricket for Australia – being aggressive, pushing the line but not going over it,” he said.

“I saw the best players who went through that era that I was lucky enough to be involved in, (and) that’s what they did every single time they went out to play, and that’s a reason they were so dominant. And that’s the way we’re playing now.

“So it’s amazing how things turn around. And that Test match, up until that time, is probably as much fun as I’ve ever had playing a Test match.

“We lost in the end but we put up a really good fight on a very interesting wicket, but it was an incredible amount of fun.

“When I look back on it, it probably just makes me realise how quickly life can turn around, and turn in so many different directions.

“(I learned) to not get down on things that you feel aren’t ideal, and just to go with it, because at some stage if you stay strong on who you are and what you are, things will turn around for the better, and gosh, I saw that in about two weeks.”

As he told the Sydney Morning Herald this week, the Australian team is now blessed with a range of strong leaders.

"What Michael (Clarke) and Darren (Lehmann) have been able to do to move the ship in the right direction has been brilliant. Their personalities complement each other very well and that for me has been a huge learning curve for not just cricket but for my life after cricket as well."

They’re the sorts of lessons that Watson will doubtless dish out to Australia’s next generation of cricketers, with the 33-year-old looking into enrolling in an executive coaching course that he feels will provide him with the broad skill-set required to enter the coaching environment.

“I’m lucky I’m an allrounder I suppose, I’ve got a few different bases covered and I’m in the process of going through a separate part of coaching as well, trying to get a framework around (the various aspects of being) a coach,” he said.

“Now there’s executive coaching that provides a bit of a framework around the things you’re naturally involved in a team environment, so I’m starting to look into doing that as well, trying to provide an all-round package for my coaching in the future.”