How to play fantasy cricket — the 100-percent free explainer
The complete beginner-to-advanced fantasy cricket explainer. Rules, points system, captain and vice-captain, contest types, common mistakes. Built to be read once and remembered.
The 100-percent-free explainer
comeliveipl7 does not run a real-money fantasy game. This page is not a sales pitch for one. It is a 100-percent-free explainer of how fantasy cricket works in India — the rules, the scoring, the captain pick, the contest types, the common traps — written so a first-timer finishes knowing exactly why a pick made the cut.
If you have played fantasy football or fantasy baseball before, the structure will look familiar: pick a side within a credit budget, assign a captain and vice-captain, earn points from how the players actually perform in the match. Cricket differs from those sports in two ways — first, the points system reflects the cricket-specific batting and bowling actions; second, the captain pick is decisive and very few decisions matter more than it.
Points system
The fantasy points system used by every major Indian fantasy cricket app gives points for each batting and bowling action in a match. A few are worth singling out because they dominate the captain pick.
- Runs scored: 1 point per run.
- Boundary bonus: 4 additional points per four, 6 additional per six.
- Strike-rate bonus: 2-8 extra points awarded when the run rate exceeds a threshold (set by the app).
- Wicket taken: 25 points per wicket, more for LBW and bowled.
- Dismissal for a duck: -2 to -3 points depending on the role.
- Maiden over: 4 points.
- Economy-rate bonus: 2-6 extra points when the economy is below the threshold.
The system is built so a single boundary-hitting, wicket-taking all-rounder will outscore three or four bowlers on their own. A captain pick that lands on a player of this type can deliver three to five times the captain pick that doesn't.
Captain and vice-captain
The captain is the player who earns 2x your points from the match. Vice-captain earns 1.5x. With captaincy and vice-captaincy accounting for up to half of the points a fantasy XI delivers, the captain choice is where most fantasy games are won or lost.
There are three things to balance: form (last 5 innings), venue (how the player has done at the specific ground), and matchup (how they have done against this opposition's likely XI). When all three agree, the captain pick is obvious. When they disagree, the captain pick becomes a judgment call — and that's what the captain picks page is for.
Contest types
There are several contest structures in Indian fantasy cricket. Each rewards different strategies.
- Head-to-head (1v1): two players, top points wins. Risk-tolerant players tend to dominate here.
- Small leagues (3-100 players): top 1-2 finishers win. Lower risk, smaller returns.
- Grand leagues (1,000-100,000): top 0.1-1% win. High risk, very large potential returns.
- Practice contests: free entry, no cash prize. Useful for testing picks before committing money.
- Multi-entry contests: same league, multiple teams from one player. Higher ceiling but more spend.
How to pick a side
The reading order on any fantasy cricket match is roughly: read the preview, check the pitch read, identify the captain pick, fill out the rest of the XI to stay inside the credit budget. The hardest call is the captain pick; the easiest call is filling the bowling — pick the four best bowlers available and stay inside their home economy average.
Where to compromise: the budget line between a specialist and a multi-role player. A specialist will outscore an all-rounder on any single match, but the all-rounder is more reliable over the season. Pick two of each type and you've covered most contingencies.
Common first-season mistakes
- Picking names, not form. A household name without current form will often underperform a less-known player who is in form.
- Picking overseas players for the sake of it. Most leagues cap you at 4-6 overseas players; an all-Indian XI is often strongest.
- Ignoring venue. A player averaging 50 at one venue and 10 at another is not a fixed asset — rotate accordingly.
- Captain pick copied. Telegram "captain pick" groups are rarely correct more than half the time. Form the call yourself.
- No team-sheet sanity check. The announced XI matters more than the rumoured XI. Always cross-check on the morning of the match.
League rules
Standard Indian fantasy cricket rules apply across the major platforms. Most contests share these rules: eleven players selected (plus 4 substitutes), 100 credits total spend, a maximum of 7 players from one real-life team, 1-4 wicketkeepers, 1-8 batsmen, 1-8 bowlers, 1-4 all-rounders. The specific rules differ by platform but are always disclosed before team submission.
Where platforms diverge, the differences are usually in the points system — strike-rate bonuses and the captain multiplier are two common variables. Always read the rules of the platform you're on before locking the team.
This site is not a fantasy operator
comeliveipl7 does not run any real-money fantasy game. This page is an editorial explainer, not a sales pitch. The official IPL broadcaster apps are linked from the App page on this site.
FAQs
What is the captain in fantasy cricket?
The captain of your fantasy team is the player who earns 2x points from a match. The vice-captain earns 1.5x. These two positions together account for up to half of your team's total points.
How many credits do I have to pick a side?
You have 100 credits. Each player has a credit cost (typically 7-11), and the sum of your XI plus 4 substitutes must not exceed 100. How you allocate the credits is one of the most important fantasy decisions.
What is the points system?
1 point per run, 4-6 boundary bonus, strike-rate bonus at 50+ runs or 200+ SR, wicket bonus of 25-30, dismissal-for-duck penalty of 2-3. Specific numbers vary by platform.
Can I play fantasy cricket in any state?
Indian fantasy cricket has state-specific rules. Several states have different age and game rules; please check the official apps for state eligibility.
Is fantasy cricket legal?
In most Indian states, fantasy cricket is considered a game of skill, not gambling, and is licensed by state regulators. Some states have age and operational rules. See our Is Legal page for more.
What's the difference between fantasy cricket and sports betting?
Fantasy cricket requires you to assemble and manage a team; the outcome depends on the players' real performance in the match. Sports betting is a single wager on the outcome. Regulators treat them very differently.
