Usain Bolt plays cricket with former Indian cricketer Nilesh Kulkarni

Published - 26 Sept 2025, 20:02 IST | Updated - 26 Sept 2025, 20:03 IST

Former Indian cricketer Nilesh Kulkarni was spotted having a nice time with Jamaican retired sprinter Usain Bolt in Mumbai on Friday, September 26. Bolt is an eight-time Olympic gold medalist and the world-record holder in the 100 metres, 200 metres, and 4 × 100 metres relay.

Kulkarni, who is the founder-director of Institute of International Institute of Sports & Management's, spent some time with Bolt. The towering sprinter was captured with a bat with the erstwhile left-arm spinner bowling him some deliveries at an event.

Bolt was captured swinging the bat in a wild and aggressive manner. He was successful in connecting the deliveries with the onlookers looking on with great excitement. Bolt and Kulkarni were then snapped together for a picture standing alongside each other.

Bolt admitted that he was an avid cricket supporter during his childhood days. He also attributed the aspects of hard work, motivation and other traits to his generation's cricketers.

"For me, I was a huge cricket fan growing up. So, I watched cricket growing up. Watching all the talent of the cricketers growing up and the way they worked and the way they pushed themselves and the way they carried themselves was something that inspired me at a young age to work hard and to be the best that I could be," stated the Jamaican in a "Fireside chat" at the Jamnabai Narsee campus here on Friday, as quoted by Deccan Herald.

Kulkarni played three Tests and 10 ODIs for India. Although his international career was limited, he was considered as a seasoned pro for Mumbai. The left-arm spinner picked up a total of 492 wickets in his First-Class (357 wickets) and List A (135 wickets) career. The towering 6'4" player etched his name in the history books by taking a wicket with his first ball in Test cricket.