'It was obvious he'd been crying. He was stepping down'

9NEWS' Michael Best is in South Africa covering the ball-tampering scandal.

The sunglasses were the first hint.

It was a surprise when Darren Lehmann walked into the media conference room underneath Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.

We'd been told new Australian captain Tim Paine would be addressing the media ahead of the final Test match against South Africa tomorrow.

But it was Lehmann that walked into the room, wearing sunglasses despite the inside darkness.

When he took them off I knew something was up.

It was obvious he'd been crying.

He wiped away a single tear, sat down, composed himself and began to read a statement.

He was stepping down as coach.

This would be his final Test.

He'd watched Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft’s emotional media conference when they’d returned to Australia and knew it was the right thing to do.

And he and his family had also copped abuse in the fallout from the ball tampering scandal.

It was a remarkable turnaround in less than 24 hours.

Yesterday, Lehmann said he wouldn't be resigning.

He said that he was the man to lead Australia in a new, less antagonistic, less confrontational style of play.

But he admitted he needed to change.

Well, now it's the coach that’s changing.

The man nicknamed "Boof" was engaging, emotional, sad yet somehow optimistic today.

He nearly broke down when he said that his proudest moment as coach was how the team had coped with the tragic death of Philip Hughes.

He said he was looking forward to spending more time with his wife and four children.

He said he'd loved coaching Australia.

And he said something that is worth bearing in mind, given the furore and fallout of this week.

"We're only playing a game.  That's all we're playing."

Now he has just one left.