The legendary Jamaican sprinter, Usain Bolt, whose very name is synonymous with world-record speed, recently merged the worlds of athletics and cricket by naming his ultimate dream relay team composed entirely of cricketers. His choices, a mix of modern fitness icons and celebrated fielders and pacers from previous generations, were made based on their perceived speed, explosiveness and unmatched agility on the pitch. The eight-time Olympic gold medalist, who himself has a long-standing affection for cricket and once considered a career in the sport, gave his picks during a promotional event in India.
Usain Bolt’s dream relay team: Virat Kohli makes the cut?
Bolt’s primary selection criterion for his dream relay squad was raw speed, leading him to choose India’s Virat Kohli and Australia’s Brett Lee as two of the fastest components. Kohli, who is widely regarded as one of the fittest cricketers of his generation, earned a spot largely due to his phenomenal speed between the wickets and his sharp, quick movements on the field during fielding.
When asked to name his dream relay team, Bolt, quoted as saying by the India Today, went on to pick the Indian star, stating explicitly: “I think Kohli. He is definitely quick,” The final two component of Bolt’s dream team is former Australian speedster Brett Lee and South African international Jonty Rhodes.
Lee was equally obvious, given his primary role as a fast bowler who required explosive power and a rapid run-up, essentially performing as a pure sprinter on the pitch. Rhodes is globally renowned as arguably the most exceptional fielder in cricket history, whose hallmark was his blinding speed, unmatched agility, and incredible athleticism at the backward point and cover regions. Bolt made it clear that Rhodes’s prowess was a key factor in his selection, stating: “I know Brett Lee and I would say Jonty Rhodes,” and later adding, “Jonty Rhodes, was one of the best fielders to ever do it,”
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Bolt’s cricket roots and ultimate childhood heroes
Furthermore, Bolt revealed his own deep roots in the sport, confirming he started off as a cricketer, a fast bowler in fact, before switching to sprinting. He explained: “Well, for me, it was my cricket coach. I was a fast bowler and my cricket coach kind of saw me running in and he said, ‘you know what, why not try track and field?’ And I tried and I was really good,”
Bolt’s personal connection to cricket runs deep, which informs his picks, as he also revealed that he would have fully committed to the sport if not for his track coach’s intervention. He elaborated on this profound love for the game, saying: “A cricketer for sure. Yeah, I think if my If my cricket coach probably didn’t say, you know, what, go try running, I probably would have stick with cricket because my dad was a massive cricket fan and that’s all I knew growing up. Cricket, a little bit of football, but all I knew was cricket.” He closed his remarks by praising his favorite players, noting: “I grew up watching many cricketers… Courtney Walsh, Ambrose, Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara. There’s so much that I grew up watching all these guys over the years. I was a fan of all of them,”
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