Brett Lee is champing at the bit but determined to stay patient when he launches his bid for a return to the Australian Test cricket side this week.

The tearaway pace bowler will play his first match in almost six weeks when he turns out for New South Wales against New Zealand in the Kiwis' tour opener at the SCG starting on Thursday.

Lee, who turns 28 on Monday, returned home from the tour of India declaring himself the fittest he's been in his career after following a gruelling training schedule.

Shut out of the Australian side for all four Tests by the established pace trio of Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz - who took 43 Indian wickets between them - Lee was hoping to get more opportunities on the quicker Australian wickets for the two-Test series against New Zealand starting in Brisbane on Thursday week.

Lee said the Australian team management had been "pretty happy" with his work in India and he just needed to remain patient.

"The guys are saying `the hard work will pay off', so I will try and take their words of wisdom, Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist were fantastic over there, to give me that advice," Lee said at Sydney Airport.

"It's just a matter now of staying nice and relaxed and try and go out there and do well on Thursday.

"I'm not going to go out there and try and put too much pressure on myself.

I'll just go out there and enjoy playing against the Kiwis and I've done well against them in recent times."

Lee has a strong record against New Zealand, collecting more Test scalps at a lower average and better strike rate against the Kiwis than any other nation.

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