Build an XI
Pick 11 real players within a credit budget, plus captain and vice-captain. The credit budget forces you to balance famous names with role coverage.
A long-form guide for players who want to move past the basics: team shape, role balance, pitch reading, conditions, captain logic, toss updates, and the points math that decides your contest rank.
Fantasy cricket is a paid game of skill where you build a virtual team of real players and earn points based on their real-life performances in a match. You enter a contest with other players, and prizes are distributed based on final rank. The hard part is not the rules — the hard part is the research workflow.
Pick 11 real players within a credit budget, plus captain and vice-captain. The credit budget forces you to balance famous names with role coverage.
Each player’s real-life contribution — runs, wickets, catches, strike rate bonuses — converts to fantasy points using the official scoring table.
Points system →Your team’s total points determine your rank in the contest. The prize structure depends on the contest type — from head-to-head to massive GPPs.
A 200-run chase and a 350-run chase need different teams. The squad shape below survives both — because it spreads coverage across batting, bowling, all-rounder and wicketkeeper slots so you earn in three phases.
| Slot | Players | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Wicketkeeper | 1 | Top-order keeper doubles as a batting slot; stumping points add bonus |
| Batters | 3–4 | Spread across top-order and middle-order for powerplay and death |
| All-rounders | 1–2 | Highest ceiling because they earn in two phases |
| Bowlers | 3–4 | Mix of pace and spin, depending on conditions |
| Captain | 1 | Multiplier (commonly 2×) on role security, not reputation |
| Vice-captain | 1 | Multiplier (commonly 1.5×) on the next-best role-secure pick |
Pitch reading is the highest-leverage research input. A green seamer, a flat track, a dry surface and a slow turner each reward different roles. Read the pitch report an hour before toss and let it shape your credit curve.
The guide below covers the four most common surface behaviours and how each should shift your selection.
Most losing teams do not pick a bad team — they pick a reasonable team and then waste the captain multiplier on the most famous name. The captain framework is the highest-leverage thing you can build into your selection workflow.
Estimate the minimum and best-case points for each captain candidate. Pick the one with the best floor-to-ceiling ratio at role security.
A 130 strike rate is excellent in T20, average in ODI, meaningless in Test. Match the captain pick to the format.
Always have a backup captain in mind before toss. If the captain is scratched, the vice-captain steps up; if both are out, the multiplier is lost.
The best fantasy players treat the game as a research workflow, not a series of bets. A monthly routine helps the framework compound.
Free practice contests let you test the framework without risking money. Use them to validate the captain logic and conditions reads.
After each match, look back at your selection. Where did the captain pick deliver? Where did the credit curve fail? Note the lesson.
Squad changes shift captain pools. Spend ten minutes each week reading the latest squad announcements and injury updates.
Set a weekly deposit limit before your first paid contest. Track it honestly. If the limit is hit, walk away until next week.
Responsible play →Short, plain-language answers to the questions that show up most often on this topic.
A paid game of skill where you build a virtual team of real players and earn points based on their real-life performances in a match.
Install the official app, complete KYC, and run one or two practice contests to learn the workflow before risking money.
Captain points equal that player's match score multiplied by the captain multiplier (commonly 2×). Vice-captain usually receives 1.5×.
Other editorial pages that share the same research framework.