Match report
MI edge CSK in a 19-over chase
The desk's read on Tuesday's Wankhede fixture and what it means for the rest of the week.
Beginner
Get started with fantasy cricket
A free, six-step primer that walks a first-time reader from sign-up to a team they can explain by the toss. No deposit required.
The six steps
A first-time reader can complete all six steps in under thirty minutes.
1
Read the points system
Before you pick a team, read the standard T20 points system reference. The captain pick matters more than the eleven, and the points table tells you why.
2
Sign up with a mobile number
Most fantasy platforms in India use mobile-number sign-in. Use a number you have access to; OTP verification is the standard second factor.
3
Complete KYC if you plan to deposit
PAN and a bank account or UPI ID are required for any deposit or withdrawal. KYC is one-time and takes a few minutes.
4
Start with a practice contest
Practice contests are free to enter and pay in practice credits. They are the right place to learn the platform before risking a deposit.
5
Build your first XI
Pick 11 players within a salary cap. Choose a captain (2x) and a vice-captain (1.5x). Confirm the XI at toss, not before.
6
Lock 30 minutes before the first ball
Submit the team 30 minutes before the toss. Walk away after three straight losses. Read the responsible play guide before depositing.
First deposit
Before you deposit
Three checks to make before you deposit any money.
First, confirm the platform's state eligibility covers where you live. Paid contests are restricted in some states regardless of the editorial argument.
Second, set a deposit limit. The platform's responsible play settings let you cap daily, weekly or monthly deposits. Set the cap before you deposit, not after.
Third, decide a fixed stake per contest. The desk's habit is three small contests rather than one big one. A season is long; the variance evens out.
Responsible play
Start with a practice contest
No deposit. No risk. Build your first XI in the next 30 minutes.
What this page covers, in long form
A second pass through the topic with extra context, examples and the small habits the desk uses on its own teams.
Insight 01
Surface over form
The single biggest input to any fantasy cricket decision is the playing surface, not the recent form table. A dry Chepauk turner rewards a different XI than a flat Chinnaswamy track, and a green Mohali morning changes the captain pick again. Reading the pitch report the night before the toss is the highest-use habit a fantasy reader can build.
Insight 02
Captain over eleven
The captain pick is worth more than the eleven. A captain who scores 40 with two boundaries earns 96 fantasy points before any milestone bonus; the same innings from a non-captain earns 48. The captain multiplier is where most of the season's variance is decided, and the captain pick should be made after reading the surface, not before.
Insight 03
Bankroll beats picks
The desk's strongest readers win not because of better captain picks but because of better bankroll habits. A fixed stake per contest, three small contests instead of one big one, and a hard stop after three straight losses are the boring habits that keep readers in the contest long enough to learn.
A note on ownership
Ownership percentage is the most under-used input on a fantasy desk. In a large contest, the captain should rarely be the most-picked player. A captain who is owned by 8% of the contest and who fits the surface gives you a swing; a captain who is owned by 60% gives you no differential. Track ownership through the season, not just at the start.
Five reads the desk returns to
Articles, columns and references the desk keeps open in a browser tab through the season.
Captain pick
Captain pick of the day
The 4-factor reasoning for tonight's captain pick: surface, form, match-up, role.
Pitch report
Chepauk reading: dry top, slow turn
What the surface looks like 90 minutes before toss, and the fantasy angle.
Team preview
Mumbai Indians: a rebuild on a flat deck
A new opening pair and a death-over reshuffle.
Three things to carry into the next page
A short reading-end summary for the desk's match-day readers.
1
The surface is the input
Read the pitch report before you read the line-up. The surface dictates the captain pool more reliably than the recent form table. A dry turner and a flat deck are different games; treat them as such.
2
The captain is the output
Pick the captain after the surface, form and match-up all point one way. If they do not point one way, pick the differential. The captain pick is the single biggest source of variance in any contest.
3
The bankroll is the discipline
Fixed stake per contest, three small contests instead of one big one, walk away after three losses. The boring habits are the ones that keep winners in the contest long enough to learn.
Editorial reminder
IPL Fantasy Score is an editorial publication. We do not run a paid fantasy platform; we publish coverage. The desk's habit is to describe the captain logic in plain language and let the reader decide. We do not promise winning teams. We publish reasoning.