The Australian fast bowler will play the waiting game while doctors assess the extent of the elbow injury that could keep him out of selection for the Australian Test team this summer.

But despite Lee being optimistic about reaching a full recovery after the injury, he says there are now other factors that must be considered.

“This time it’s not a 24-hour decision, I’ve got six to 12 weeks to think about what I want to get out of cricket,” Lee told The Advertiser yesterday.

“But my elbow is just one of the factors. The other one is of course family, and at this stage of my life it’s going to be a big call to make.”

Lee’s extensive involvement in Test, one-day cricket and the Indian Premier League has been a gruelling commitment, and one that has resulted in him seeing his three-year-old son Preston a limited amount of times.

In fact, Lee spent more time talking to his son over Skype than he did face-to-face this year.

“The worst thing, which I’m never going to let happen again, was being away from my boy,” Lee said.

“I’m never going to go without seeing him for so long again.”

As for cricket, Lee is still positive he has what it takes to play for Australia.

“I’m a pretty positive person and I’m pretty optimistic” he said.

“And I’m pretty optimistic that I can still play cricket.”

Lee, who grew up in Mt Warrigul in New South Wales, never imagined that he would have come so far from the country versus city rivalry at home to playing internationally for Australia.

“It was great - you’re up in the country and it was almost like the country bumpkins versus the city slickers,” he said.

“It was great growing up there and playing with my brother, Shane. I would have never thought we’d play 18 matches for Australia together.

“And never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined I would play 76 tests and 187 one-dayers for Australia.”

But whether those stats will increase remains to be seen.

“Anything is an option,” he said.

“I might not be able to play cricket at all. I think what I can say is that I just want to get the elbow right to see what I want to get out of cricket.”