Key takeaways
- Shortlist players who will be busiest: top-order batters, frontline bowlers and genuine all-rounders.
- Let conditions, matchups and the toss decide between the candidates.
- Pick the vice-captain on purpose — either the same story as your captain, or cover from the other side.
- Safe captains suit small contests; a different captain is one of the few ways to climb a mega contest.
Why these two picks matter
On most fantasy platforms your captain scores double points and your vice-captain one and a half times. Check the multipliers in Drem's points system before you start; the logic below works for any multiplier above one.
The effect is bigger than it looks. If your captain scores 60 points, the multiplier adds another 60 to your total — often more than the difference between a good and an average pick anywhere else in your team.
| Player scores | As a regular pick | As vice-captain (1.5x) | As captain (2x) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 points | 20 | 30 | 40 |
| 50 points | 50 | 75 | 100 |
| 90 points | 90 | 135 | 180 |
That is why a wrong captain can sink a team that is otherwise well built, and why most of your pre-match thinking should go into these two choices.
Start with involvement
Fantasy points come from being involved in the match. A batter who opens can face a large share of the innings; a number seven may face only a handful of balls. A bowler who bowls four overs in a T20 has twice as many chances to take wickets as one who bowls two.
So build your shortlist from the players most likely to be busy:
- the top three batters on each side;
- frontline bowlers who usually bowl their full quota, especially in the powerplay or at the death;
- genuine all-rounders who bat in the top six and bowl;
- a wicket-keeper who also opens or bats at three.
Everyone else needs a specific reason — a matchup or conditions — to be considered.
Each role as captain
| Role | Why pick | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Top-order batter | Faces the most balls; one big innings can win a contest | An early dismissal leaves you with almost nothing |
| All-rounder | Two ways to score, so a quiet day with the bat can be rescued with the ball | Some "all-rounders" barely bowl — check recent overs |
| Frontline bowler | Wickets are worth a lot; bowlers at the death get chances against hitters | A wicketless spell scores very little |
| Wicket-keeper batter | Catches and stumpings add to batting points | Only worth it if they bat high |
No role is always best. The table is a starting point; conditions and matchups decide between the candidates.
Use conditions and matchups
A flat pitch with short boundaries pushes top-order batters up the list. A dry, turning surface favours spinners, and a green, damp one helps seam bowlers with the new ball. The pitch and conditions guide has a five-minute routine for reading this.
Matchups matter too. A batter who has scored well against the opposition's main bowlers, or a bowler facing a top order that struggles against their type of bowling, is a stronger captain than a big name without that edge.
Batting first or chasing
Once the toss is done, think about the shape of the match. The side batting first decides the pace of the game; the chasing side's top order knows exactly what it needs. Bowlers who bowl at the death in the first innings face batters swinging hard, which brings both wickets and runs conceded.
In evening games where dew is expected, bowling second can be harder, which can tilt the choice towards the first-innings bowlers and the chasing batters.
Choosing the vice-captain
The vice-captain is not a consolation prize. Treat it as a second, slightly less certain bet. Two common approaches:
- Same story: captain and vice-captain both benefit if the match goes the way you expect — for example, the two openers of the side you think will bat well.
- Cover: pick the vice-captain from the other side, so a bad day for one team does not wipe out both multipliers.
Neither is always right. In small contests the cover approach smooths your score; in mega contests the same-story approach gives a higher ceiling when your read is correct.
Safe or different?
In a head-to-head or small league, the obvious captain is usually right: you only need to beat a few teams. In a mega contest, many teams share the same captain, so they finish close together and you need something different to climb.
Choosing a less popular captain with a real role is a deliberate risk. It loses more often, but when it works it lifts you past thousands of similar teams. More in small vs mega contests.
Common captaincy mistakes
- Picking on reputation alone. A famous name batting at six on a slow pitch is a weaker captain than an in-form opener.
- Not checking the playing eleven. A captain who does not play scores zero, doubled.
- Ignoring the toss. Conditions and batting order can change after it.
- Choosing a part-time bowler as "all-rounder" captain. Look at overs actually bowled in recent games.
Final check before the deadline
- Is your captain in the confirmed playing eleven?
- Will they bat in the top four or bowl a full quota?
- Have you changed the pick if the toss changed the conditions?
- Does your vice-captain follow one of the two approaches above on purpose?