From banishing Marinko Matosevic to admonishing Bernard Tomic and returning Australia to the World Group, Pat Rafter will remember his four-year reign as Davis Cup captain as “certainly a learning curve”.

When Rafter took over from John Fitzgerald in late 2010, Australia – proud 28-times champions of the century-old teams’ event – were languishing in the Asia-Oceania qualifying.

His team remained stranded in the Davis Cup wilderness after tough playoff losses to Switzerland and Germany in 2012 and 2013 before finally regaining World Group status for last year’s competition.

It had been a long and rocky road to promotion for Rafter, who axed then-Australian No.2 Matosevic in 2012 following his disappointing showing in a tie against South Korea and blasted Tomic’s “disgraceful” second-round US Open loss to Andy Roddick.

With bridges now rebuilt and the Australians fancying their chances of challenging for the trophy in 2015, Rafter stood down on Thursday to focus on his new role as Tennis Australia’s director of performance.

He admitted his time in the hot seat was a tumultuous one.

“First few years were certainly a learning curve, trying to get a relationship with the guys,” Rafter said after handing over to interim captain Wally Masur for Australia’s first-round tie with the Czech Republic in March.

“I’d been out of the game for quite a while. Just sort of stepping back into it was interesting.

“And then I guess it’s had its ups and downs just with the different players and me trying to stamp some sort of authority, which sort of backlashed on me a little bit.

“I always expected the guys to work hard, train hard, and then we can play hard after, as well, and enjoy it, because Davis Cup should be enjoyed.

“You also play in a team environment. I felt like all the guys put in pretty well.

“I formed some really good relationships and friendships with the guys.

“I got to know them very well, on a level some good and some bad. At the end of it, I can sit down and have a beer with the guys in 10 years’ time.”

Rafter didn’t have to step down, but said it would have been too difficult to juggle two jobs of such responsibility.

“I just feel for me to do the role that I need to do, I can’t be travelling all over the place in this initial six months for sure,” he said.

“I’ve just got to knuckle down and get things going … I just can’t do both roles.”