Sydney - Australian fast bowler Brett Lee has admitted he may not play Test cricket again after undergoing surgery for a painful elbow injury.
The injury has sidelined Lee for the entire Australian summer, continuing a run of setbacks which have prevented him playing a Test for his country since 2008.
Lee missed last year's Ashes series against England after suffering a side strain before the first Test at Cardiff and now concedes he may not be able to add to his tally of 310 wickets in 76 Tests in a decade-long career.
"As far as my cricket goes, anything is possible," Lee told Australia's Herald Sun newspaper.
"I may play one-dayers, or no cricket at all.
"I may never bowl another ball and if that's the case, I'm so satisfied with my career and my longevity. I'm not saying it's definitely over, but I'm not sure what I want to be just yet.
"If it's the case that I don't play again, well, that's the case. There is a part of me that would like to play some sort of cricket again."
Lee said his latest injury was the most painful of his career and he had no idea how long his recuperation might take.
"This has been the hardest surgery I've been through. It's certainly been the most painful," he said.
"There's no miracle treatment for me. It's taking time. I still don't know when I'll be able to bowl again. I can't even give you an exact time.
"I will see how the arm pulls up because I can't achieve any aspirations in cricket unless my body is functional."
Lee refused to rule out retirement and said he would discuss his future in coming months with Australian team management, including captain Ricky Ponting.
"There'll be some key people I confide in," he said.
"I'll keep it mainly in-house then talk to the team, but at some stage I will sit down with Punter (Ponting), if that's needed.
"I'm making a lifestyle decision here as opposed to a cricketing one."