Revisiting the 28 March 2026 fantasy card for the RCB vs SRH IPL opener.
Role picks, safe and differential captain pairs, the suggested XI, and transfers left open until after the toss from the original Cricket Winner opener card.
Read →Captain logic, points math, contest selection.
Practical guides on the parts of IPL fantasy cricket that move the leaderboard - captaincy, points-system reasoning, contest selection, and the trade-offs between risk and rank.
Fantasy tips
Captain guide →
Captain logic, points math, contest selection.
Practical guides on the parts of IPL fantasy cricket that move the leaderboard - captaincy, points-system reasoning, contest selection, and the trade-offs between risk and rank.
From the desk
All news →
Latest strategy notes tied to captain and transfer decisions.
Recent editorial pieces that sit alongside the captain, points and contest guidance below.
The captain differential playbook
When to back the low-ownership pick, and the match conditions that justify moving off the consensus captain.
Read →The points system, fully deconstructed
Where batting, bowling and fielding points actually come from, and how the captaincy multiplier moves rank.
Read →
Captain logic
Pick the captain for ceiling, the vice-captain for safety.
The captain gets 2x and the vice-captain gets 1.5x. That asymmetric weighting is the single biggest decision you make before the toss. Here's how we approach it.
Identify the venue and check the average score
Venue scoring averages for evening matches are the starting point. Higher average = more ceiling for top-order captain picks.
Check the likely-XI announcement for the batting order
Promoted batters have higher ceiling. Players moved down the order have lower floor.
Cross-reference the opponent's weakest phase
Captain picks that face the opponent's weakest bowling phase are the highest-ceiling option.
Compare ownership projections
Captain picks under 35% ownership are differential enough to matter in larger contests. Picks over 60% are essentially consensus captain choices.
Set the vice-captain as the player you would captain if the captain pick were unavailable
The vice-captain's 1.5x is a meaningful swing. Don't waste it on a player you don't strongly believe in.
Points math
Where the points actually come from.
Batting math
A run is worth 1 point. A boundary is worth 4. A six is worth 6. A half-century adds 8. A century adds 16. Strike-rate bonuses are applied as follows:
| SR > 170 (min 10 balls) | +6 |
| SR 150-170 | +4 |
| SR 130-150 | +2 |
| SR 50-70 (min 10 balls) | -2 |
| SR < 50 | -4 |
Bowling math
A wicket is worth 25. LBW or bowled adds 8. A maiden over adds 4. Wicket-haul milestones are layered on top. Economy bonuses work like this:
| Econ < 5 (min 2 overs) | +6 |
| Econ 5-6 | +4 |
| Econ 6-7 | +2 |
| Econ 10-11 | -2 |
| Econ > 11 | -4 |
Fielding math
A catch is worth 8. A stumping is worth 12. A direct-hit run-out is worth 12. Three catches in a match adds another 4. Fielding points are the quietest points on the leaderboard but they compound.
| Catch | +8 |
| 3-catch bonus | +4 |
| Stumping | +12 |
| Run out - direct hit | +12 |
| Run out - assist (each) | +6 |
Contest selection
Match the contest to your team.
Practice
Free entry
Use for testing captaincy logic. Small bonus credit prizes. Best learning environment for new players.
Head-to-head
2-100 players
Top half wins. Best for low-variance team selections. Avoid differential captain picks in this format.
Grand prize
1,000+ players
Highest variance. Differential captain picks matter here. Most grand-prize winners have at least two differential picks.
Private
Invite-only
Social contest with a known pool. Good for testing a strategy in a controlled environment.
Salary cap
Spend the 100 credits across 11 players.
How the cap works
You have 100 credits to spend across 11 players. Top-order batters cost more. Wicketkeeper-batters who bat in the top six cost more than specialist wicketkeepers. Allrounders cost the most because they accumulate points in two roles.
How to spend it
Allocate roughly 45-55% of the budget to your top three picks (the players you would captain). Allocate 30-35% to the next four picks (the second tier). Allocate the remaining 15-20% to the bottom four picks (bench-quality and differential players).
Common mistakes
Spending too much on a single star player leaves the rest of the team too thin. Spreading too evenly leaves no ceiling for captain picks. The optimal strategy depends on the contest size - grand-prize contests reward ceiling, head-to-head contests reward floor.
Advanced strategy
Three advanced strategies for experienced players.
Once you have the basics down, three advanced strategies can push your rank-points higher.
📊
Stacking correlated picks
When two players from the same team have a strong correlation - a top-order batter and a death-overs bowler, for example - picking both in your XI gives you more exposure to that team's success than picking two unrelated players.
🎯
Multi-entry diversification
Multi-entry contests let you submit multiple teams. The optimal strategy is to diversify across 2-3 captaincy options rather than submit identical lineups with minor tweaks.
⏰
Late swap optimisation
Most apps allow player swaps up to the toss. The optimal strategy is to delay your swap decisions as long as possible, so you have the latest likely-XI information.
Reading the desk
How to use the desk's match previews.
The desk writes a captain pick, a differential captain, a bowler to watch, and an avoid pick for every match. Here is how to combine them with your own reading.
Read the captain pick first
The captain pick is the most reliable place to start. If you agree with the desk's reasoning, use the captain pick as your captain.
Compare with the differential captain
If you are entering a large contest and want more variance, swap the captain pick for the differential captain. The differential captain has higher ceiling and higher floor of variance.
Check the bowler to watch
The bowler to watch is a strong vice-captain option if you do not want to use an allrounder. Death-overs bowlers are the highest-leverage vice-captaincy options.
Avoid the avoid pick
The avoid pick is a player the desk thinks is overrated for this specific match. If your XI includes the avoid pick, consider swapping them out.
Make your own call
The desk's previews are a starting framework, not a final answer. Late team-news, unexpected pitch behaviour, and your own read of the match all matter.
FAQ
Common questions about fantasy cricket tips.
How do you decide which captain pick to back?
We combine venue scoring averages, recent form, the likely batting order, and the opponent's weakest phase. The captain pick is the player with the highest expected ceiling on the day.
Should I always pick a differential captain?
No. Differential captaincy is a high-variance strategy best suited to large grand-prize contests. In head-to-head or small contests, the safer consensus pick usually returns better expected rank.
What role does bench strength play?
A bench player who comes in as a substitute for a non-playing XI player can earn full points. But most formats do not allow in-play substitution, so bench strength mostly matters when projected XIs shift.
How often should I update my strategy?
After every completed match. Player form, venue patterns, role clarity, and ownership all shift week to week. The desk updates captaincy guidance within 24 hours of every match.
Advanced strategy
Three advanced strategies for experienced players.
Once you have the basics down, three advanced strategies can push your rank-points higher.
📊
Stacking correlated picks
When two players from the same team have a strong correlation - a top-order batter and a death-overs bowler, for example - picking both in your XI gives you more exposure to that team's success.
🎯
Multi-entry diversification
Multi-entry contests let you submit multiple teams. The optimal strategy is to diversify across 2-3 captaincy options rather than submit identical lineups with minor tweaks.
⏰
Late swap optimisation
Most apps allow player swaps up to the toss. The optimal strategy is to delay your swap decisions as long as possible, so you have the latest likely-XI information.
Reading the desk
How to use the desk's match previews.
The desk writes a captain pick, a differential captain, a bowler to watch, and an avoid pick for every match. Here is how to combine them with your own reading.
Read the captain pick first
The captain pick is the most reliable place to start. If you agree with the desk's reasoning, use the captain pick as your captain.
Compare with the differential captain
If you are entering a large contest and want more variance, swap the captain pick for the differential captain.
Check the bowler to watch
The bowler to watch is a strong vice-captain option if you do not want to use an allrounder.
Avoid the avoid pick
The avoid pick is a player the desk thinks is overrated for this specific match.
Make your own call
The desk's previews are a starting framework, not a final answer.
Advanced strategy
Three advanced strategies for experienced players.
Once you have the basics down, three advanced strategies can push your rank-points higher.
📊
Stacking correlated picks
When two players from the same team have a strong correlation - a top-order batter and a death-overs bowler, for example - picking both in your XI gives you more exposure to that team's success.
🎯
Multi-entry diversification
Multi-entry contests let you submit multiple teams. The optimal strategy is to diversify across 2-3 captaincy options rather than submit identical lineups with minor tweaks.
⏰
Late swap optimisation
Most apps allow player swaps up to the toss. The optimal strategy is to delay your swap decisions as long as possible, so you have the latest likely-XI information.
Reading the desk
How to use the desk's match previews.
The desk writes a captain pick, a differential captain, a bowler to watch, and an avoid pick for every match. Here is how to combine them with your own reading.
Read the captain pick first
The captain pick is the most reliable place to start. If you agree with the desk's reasoning, use the captain pick as your captain.
Compare with the differential captain
If you are entering a large contest and want more variance, swap the captain pick for the differential captain.
Check the bowler to watch
The bowler to watch is a strong vice-captain option if you do not want to use an allrounder.
Avoid the avoid pick
The avoid pick is a player the desk thinks is overrated for this specific match.
Make your own call
The desk's previews are a starting framework, not a final answer.