May 29: Renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has paid a creative tribute to rising cricket star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi with a striking sand sculpture at Puri Beach in Odisha, celebrating the teenager’s record-breaking performances in the IPL 2026 season.
Pic Credit: https://x.com/sudarsansand
The artwork features a detailed portrait of the 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals batter in his team jersey, accompanied by a message congratulating him on his “historic and inspiring knock.” Pattnaik described the piece as a tribute to the young cricketer who is “redefining fearless cricket for a new generation.”
The tribute comes in recognition of Sooryavanshi’s explosive innings in the IPL 2026 Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he smashed 97 runs off just 29 balls. His performance played a crucial role in Rajasthan Royals’ victory and brought him close to one of the fastest centuries in IPL history.
Sooryavanshi, who hails from Bihar, has rapidly emerged as one of the most promising young talents in Indian cricket. He made his IPL debut at just 14 years and 23 days, becoming the youngest player in the tournament’s history. He also holds the record as the youngest centurion in men’s T20 cricket, after scoring 101 off 38 balls in IPL 2025.
His remarkable rise has included multiple record-breaking achievements, including one of the fastest centuries in IPL history and a standout season filled with explosive batting performances that have drawn global attention.
Pattnaik’s tribute adds to the growing recognition of Sooryavanshi’s talent, highlighting the impact he has already made on the sport at such a young age.
