Johnson and Watson were both sanctioned in 2013 for the “Homework” scandal and were subsequently banned for a Test match.

Johnson was pulled aside by coach Mickey Arthur who told him he felt the pair were developing a faction in response to the Clarke-Watson tensions.

Johnson took the side of then vice-captain Watson to his own detriment.

 “Mickey (Arthur) told me I spent too much time with Watto and that was the real issue here,” Johnson writes in his autobiography Resilient.

“I was told we were too close, like we were a faction or something.

“I am sorry, but you can’t help but be close to a bloke you have been playing cricket with since you were 19.

“Watto was being punished for speaking his mind about some of the things that were going on and we all went down with him.”