When it comes to collective damage, the sandpaper-gate put Australian cricket into a turmoil like never seen since the underarm saga. Both captain and vice-captain Steve Smith and David Warner have been banned by Cricket Australia for 12 months while Cameron Bancroft is facing suspension for the next 9 months.

Glenn Maxwell, who was among the three players to fly to South Africa to replace the disgraced trio, meanwhile, stated that it was hard to watch the way Steve Smith was treated after the incident unfolded.

"I think the way they saw it, it was obviously beaten up a fair bit and they've seen a couple of their mates treated like criminals," he told Melbourne's Radio SEN.

"That is a hard thing for you to watch as a teammate, and to what they went through, especially Steve Smith at the airport, that was a hard thing for everyone to watch.”

The suspension of the trio meant that places opened up for newcomers. While Maxwell couldn’t find a spot in the starting XI of the final Test, he admitted that he didn’t envy the ones that did because of the enormity of the situation.

"To then try and get yourself ready for a game of cricket a day later was extremely difficult, and I certainly didn't envy their position at all. It was an extremely tough time for that whole playing group," the 29-year old added.

"I had thoughts of what it could be like, and I hoped I could've provided something different for the group when I got over there, whether it be energy or just a happy face around the group to try and cheer them up," he said.

"The enormity struck me at the end of the test match when Boof (coach Darren Lehmann) had his goodbye speech and spoke about a few players in the group that he hoped could lead the group going forward. I think that's when it all hit me and how hard it was for this young group," Maxwell concluded.