Puri: Celebrated sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has created a spectacular sand sculpture on Puri Beach to celebrate the explosive performance of 15-year-old cricket sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
The intricate artwork features a large, striking portrait of the young Rajasthan Royals opener in his team jersey, accompanied by the message: “A truly historic and inspiring knock by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi!
My sand art at Puri Beach in Odisha celebrates the young sensation who is redefining fearless cricket for a new generation.”
The tribute recognises Sooryavanshi’s extraordinary batting display in the IPL 2026 Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad in New Chandigarh.
Speaking to the media, Pattanik added: “The magic Vaibhav Suryavanshi is creating with his bat in this tournament has left everyone absolutely mesmerized. As artists, we have crafted science-inspired sculptures to visually capture and celebrate the historic moment he has created.”
The teenage prodigy smashed a blistering 97 runs off just 29 balls, falling agonisingly three runs short of what could have been the fastest century in IPL history. Chris Gayle holds the record for the fastest IPL century, reaching the milestone in 30 balls for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Pune Warriors India in 2013.
Coming in as an opener, Sooryavanshi unleashed an innings full of audacious stroke play, powerful six-hitting, and remarkable maturity beyond his years. He hammered five fours and 12 sixes during his explosive stay at the crease. The knock played a decisive role in powering Rajasthan Royals to victory and keeping their title hopes alive. The victory meant that RR moved one step closer to facing Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL 2026 Final, as they take on Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 on Friday.
At just 15 years of age, Sooryavanshi has already emerged as one of the most exciting prospects in Indian cricket. His fearlessness at the top of the order, combined with technical soundness and an aggressive mindset, has drawn comparisons with some of the game’s modern greats and ignited excitement about the future of Indian batting.
