IPL 2014: Fantasy Guru - Game enters make or break stage; 150-point returns the priority

If you think that you have started a little too late for the official IPL Fantasy League 2014, you can always play this alternative version of fantasy cricket where you can win cash prizes daily - SportskeedaFantasyLeague. The next round has two matches featuring four teams: Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kings X1 Punjab and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

In this type of fantasy cricket, while assembling your playing 11 for the two matches, make sure you don’t miss out on players like Sanju Samson, Sandeep Sharma, Lokesh Rahul, Mandeep Singh, and Karun Nair who could prove to be the differential at a comparatively lower rate. While you can play for free, if you choose to play with an entry fee to Rs 35, you can win Rs 300. You can pay upto Rs 1,150 and win Rs 10,000 in cash for every round.

Guru’s team after KXIP vs. CSK match

I am glad that I failed to meet the deadline to make the transfers for the Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Delhi Daredevils match. Although I was absolutely livid with myself for sleeping so long, looking at how the events transpired – Kevin Pietersen’s miserable short little stay at the crease and Sunil Narine’s off-day – I had to make peace with myself. I ended up saving a transfer; something has to go my way after all.

In my previous articles, I have stressed on the importance of not looking at your position till the game reaches the 30th game mark. With 29 matches completed, my team has progressed 13,000 ranks forward in the last 4 days, which should explain why I believe in it. Fantasy team managers who have had no real idea of how to employ their transfers are on their way down. Not just that, fantasy games over a period of time rewards consistency and logic over plain fortune and thoughtless decision making.

You will continue to see a steady rise in ranks in the coming days. A lot of them will be going down for a number of reasons ranging from frustration to panic. The key to keep going up is to think with a clear mind.

My strategy for the second half of the game is simple: Make a transfer only when you are sure of it giving 150 points in return. It is important to understand the difference between seeing a 150-point potential and the possibility of it actually happening. If you see, you go for it, and care less about whether or not it actually yields the returns: process over result.

Rajasthan Royals vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad:

Guru’s team for SRH vs. RR fixture

Transfers made – 3; Transfers remaining – 36Rohit Sharma out – Shikhar Dhawan inJP Duminy out – Aaron Finch inDwayne Smith out – David Warner inIshwar Pandey out – Pravin Tambe inCaptain – Aaron Finch/David Warner

Sunrisers Hyderabad play twice in a 3-match round, and both are expected to be high scoring affairs; hence, it makes sense to stack up the team with players from the Sunrisers team. It is not just the Ahmedabad and Delhi tracks that make me say this, but the bowling attacks of both the Royals and the Daredevils will find it difficult to contain runs on placid decks.

While Bhuvneshwar Kumar would have been an interesting addition to the team given the form he is in, I choose to have him out based on two factors: the solidity of the Royals’ top order that can negate his new ball threat and the explosive Daredevils finishing duo of Jean-Paul Duminy and Kedar Jadhav that can sort him out down the order.

Aaron Finch and David Warner should be the first two picks. Finch has been disappointing so far, getting out to deliveries that don’t deserve wickets. That can’t be a reason to avoid him. Unless I see him struggling to score runs, I will have him in the team, more so when he gives two matches.

Yes, Warner bats low, but he should face 75 balls over the course of two matches: a bare minimum of 125 runs and 200 points.

I would love to have Watson. He has to get good points, but my 4 overseas spots are locked: Warner, Finch, Glenn Maxwell and David Miller. Add to it, he comes at a heavy cost and has to be transferred out immediately. Now that I can’t have him, I hope Dravid and Co. do what they do the best: make fantasy players’ life miserable by shuffling the batting order. I understand I will lose points, but I will be happy if the picks I preferred ahead of him – Miller and Warner – give more in their couple of matches, as Schedule Mantra rule was applied here in preferring them over the Royals’ captain.

Rahane has only scored heavily in matches I have not had him. There is no logical reason to it; it is just that I have had terrible luck throughout the season. I am not getting him in this time. The one player who I choose to have ahead of him will be a controversial selection given that I already have 2 players from the top 4 in that team: Shikhar Dhawan.

There are 5 reasons why I choose to have him:

1. He seems close to finding his touch 2. He is up against easier bowling attacks 3. He plays on good decks 4. He fits into Schedule Mantra 5. The player he replaces – Rohit Sharma – can get back in by the time he plays his next match

This may look like overkill. But can you guarantee me who among Finch, Dhawan and Warner will make it big in the next two matches? I don’t think anyone can give the assurance. So I choose to implement Schedule Mantra and go ahead with it.

As I have players with better scoring opportunities in my team, Dale Steyn is left out. Darren Sammy will not get enough time to bat with the top 4 expected to make use of the good batting decks. No other capped player is worth the consideration.

Uncapped player pick:

This is a knotty problem. Lokesh Rahul and Karun Nair stand a good chance of giving decent 60-point returns. Rahul has no real concerns, while Nair could be troubled by the Sunrisers’ opening duo of Bhuvi-Steyn. Pravin Tambe and Karan Sharma will be battling against the nature of the deck. While Tambe will be bowling to a weak middle order, Karan Sharma will be up against effective players of spin bowling on flat decks.

Samson threatens to make it big but loses it around 35-40 run mark; being a wicketkeeper, he is a better bet as compared to Rahul or Nair, though.

Preference order:

1. Sanju Samson 2. Lokesh Rahul 3. Pravin Tambe 4. Karun Nair 5. Karan Sharma

With Samson already in my team, I go in with Tambe, as I can’t have Rahul in for combination reasons.

Royal Challengers Bangalore vs. Kings X1 Punjab:

Guru’s team for RCB vs. KXIP match

Transfers made – 0; Transfers remaining – 36Sanju Samson out – Lokesh Rahul in Captain – Glenn Maxwell/Virat Kohli

Bringing in Virender Sehwag for one match will be a reflex move. So, the Kings X1 part of it is settled. With Virat Kohli in and the uncertainty surrounding AB de Villiers’ batting spot, the only other player who demands his selection is Chris Gayle.

The secret to Gayle’s success so far has been his patience in getting through the testing phase, which he is fortunate enough to have done quite successfully: The swing bowlers get the better of him, but they don’t find the all-important edge. Adding to it, he manages to remain out of the strike against the bowlers who are capable of getting his wickets (off-spinners and new ball bowlers) on a consistent basis. It appears to be a conscious effort.

Kings X1 have the bowlers in Sandeep Sharma and Mitchell Johnson to nail him this time. However, if he escapes them, god help Punjab! Although Chinnaswamy is flat, it is one of those strips in India that provide appreciable assistance to the pacers in the first 6 overs. I bank on that factor and also on the players I have preferred ahead of him – Warner and Finch – to give more points than the West Indian over the course of two matches: the same logic I used to keep Watson out.

With restrictions to overseas players, you need to be prepared to make such sacrifices, more so, when you see some logic behind having them out. I see it in the exclusions of Watto and Gayle; therefore, I go ahead with it.

Uncapped player pick:

With RCB’s base at Bangalore, Yuzvendra Chahal will find it difficult to strike regularly from now on. However, since I have him in the team already, I don’t see much of a choice here. Harshal Patel, Rishi Dhawan and Akshar Patel stand little chance of giving good returns on flat decks and against top class batting sides.

Mandeep is quite a talented player. He has all the strokes that a player of his age should. Although the angle of Mitchell Starc and pace of Varun Aaron can disturb his flow, he seems to be a much better choice than both the Patels and Dhawan.

Preference order:

1. Sandeep Sharma 2. Mandeep Singh 3. All others

Since I can’t bring in Mandeep Singh due to combination reasons, I use the uncapped player trick here and bring in Rahul keeping in mind the next fixture.