Picking your captain and vice-captain

Why the captain matters so much

Take two teams with identical players. In one, the captain scores 90 points; in the other, the captain scores 30. Doubling adds 90 points to the first team and 30 to the second, a 60-point gap from one decision. Across a contest of many teams with similar players, that gap is usually the difference between the top and the middle of the table.

The vice-captain matters too: 1.5× on a 90-point score adds 45 points.

What makes a good captain

You are looking for the player with the highest expected score, not the most famous name. In practice, that means players with the most ways and the most chances to score:

• Top-order all-rounders. Bat in the top four and bowl four overs: two routes to a big total.
• Openers on batting pitches. The most balls faced, plus boundary and strike-rate bonuses.
• Strike bowlers on helpful pitches. Wickets are worth a lot. In the reference T20 table, a three-wicket spell can be worth over 90 points.
• Keepers who open. Batting points plus catches and stumpings.

A simple way to compare candidates

For each of your three or four best options, ask:

1. How many balls will he face or bowl? (Opener > middle order; four overs > two overs.)
2. How many ways can he score? (Batting, bowling, fielding.)
3. Do the conditions suit him? (Pace on a green pitch, spin on a slow one, power hitters at a small ground.)
4. What is his recent form and his role in this match?

The player who comes out best on all four is your captain. The runner-up, ideally from a different role, is your vice-captain.

Split the risk across roles

If your captain and vice-captain are both openers from the same side, one early collapse ruins both picks. Pairing a batter with a bowler, or players from different sides, spreads the risk. You can make an exception when you have a strong view that one team will dominate.

Popular picks and different picks

In large contests, many players choose the same obvious captain. If he scores well, everyone benefits equally and you gain nothing on the field. If you want to finish near the top of a big league, sometimes you need a less obvious captain who can still score heavily. In a small league or head-to-head game, the safest high-scoring choice is usually right. We explain this in small leagues versus large leagues.

Common mistakes

• Captaining a lower-order batter. Few balls, few points.
• Ignoring bowlers. Many people captain batters by habit, even on pitches where bowlers score more.
• Not checking the toss. If your captain is not in the XI, he scores nothing, doubled.
• Picking on reputation. A star in poor form, or batting out of position, is a weaker choice than an in-form player in the right role.

Frequently asked questions

Is the captain always worth 2x?

In most fantasy cricket games, yes: captain 2× and vice-captain 1.5×. Some tournament games add extra boosters, so check the rules.

Should my captain always be a batter?

No. A wicket-taking bowler or a genuine all-rounder is often the higher-scoring choice, depending on the pitch.

Can I change my captain after the toss?

In single-match games you can usually change it right up to the deadline, which is normally the scheduled start. That is why many players wait for the toss before deciding.