The whispers started days ago. A name, passed from dressing room to press box. Vaibhav Sharma. 15 years old. And tonight, in a Ranji Trophy one-dayer, he detonated.
Fifty runs. Eleven balls. Let that sink in. The previous record for a 50 in Indian domestic List A was 12 balls. This kid took one less.
The innings was brutal. A masterclass in controlled aggression. First ball, a lofted drive over extra cover. Second, a swipe over mid-wicket for six. The bowler, a seasoned Ranji pro, looked shell-shocked. The field spread. It didn't matter. Sharma reverse-scooped the fourth ball for four. He danced down the track, slashing over point. He smashed a full toss into the sightscreen.
The dressing room was silent. The opposition captain's face was a mask of grim disbelief. The crowd, a few hundred initially, swelled as word spread through the ground. By the time he reached fifty, the stands were buzzing. Mobile phones held aloft, recording history.
Sources close to the BCCI say the selectors are already aware. This isn't just a flash in the pan. They've been tracking him since he scored a triple century in an U-19 inter-state final last year. But this? This is different. This is a statement. A power play in a league that values cathedrals of patience.
Of course, the murmurs of caution will follow. He's 15. 'Don't burn him out,' they'll say. 'Let him develop.' But the cat is out of the bag. The agents are already circling. The IPL franchises will have their scouts on the next flight.
One source in the Indian dressing room told me: 'We've not seen anything like this since the little master. But he's different. More raw power. More fearless.'
It's early days. Very early. But in the high-stakes game of Indian cricket, a new player just shoved his way to the table. The question now is not if he'll be fast-tracked. It's how badly everyone else will try to get a piece of the action.
Watch this space. The game just changed.