Captain picks
Differential captain calls for every fixture, with ceiling projections and the match-ups the desk leans into.
Captain picks today
IPL: Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians) vs Chennai Super Kings - Wankhede. Differential: Hardik Pandya as captain (C) and vice-captain (VC). Fantasy points projection: 88-110 with a floor of 65.
Captain-pick logic
Captain picks are scored on three filters: venue-specific strike rate (last 10 innings at the ground), opposition match-up (head-to-head and surface-specific economy), and recent form (last five innings).
Picks below 60% ownership are flagged as differentials. The desk's differential column is paired with a vice-captain suggestion. The vice-captain receives 2x points if the captain does not play.
Tonight's projected XI
Mumbai Indians (likely): Rohit, Kishan, Suryakumar, Tilak Varma, Hardik (C), Tim David, Krunal, Bumrah, Madhwal, Chawla, Coetzee. Chennai Super Kings (likely): Gaikwad, Conway, Rahane, Shivam Dube, Dhoni, Jadeja, Moeen Ali, Pathirana, Tushar Deshpande, Theekshana, Rizvi.
Captain-pick methodology
Method: weighted score across (i) last-10-innings strike rate at venue (35% weight), (ii) opposition match-up (30%), (iii) last-five-innings form (20%), (iv) fantasy-points-per-match baseline (15%). A captain pick requires ≥75 weighted score and ≤80% ownership.
Editor's note
The desk publishes a captain-pick column 90 minutes before each fixture's toss. Refresh cadence: every 15 minutes for the next 24 hours before the fixture. Coverage note: last-minute injury updates are reflected in the column within 10 minutes. The column is paired with a vice-captain and a differential pick.
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