I have a confession to make: I love fantasy, but I suck at it. And so, I’m counting on you guys to help me get better at it.
People say it’s easy to pick a fantasy team. They say, "Why not let the random team picker that has just been introduced by the helpful folks at Cricinfo.com do it for you." I say, why would I want to do something as silly as that. What does a bot know about team selection? (Not much, if you've ever tried it.) Instead, I’m going to depend on you the good Samaritans to send in your fantasy teams for the just-launched Asia Cup game to me … so I can get it right by copying you.
Welcome to Fantasy Post, a blog devoted to fantasy cricket. Fantasy Post promises to be a space in which more than one voice will be heard and a room that belongs to all of us. It will be an easygoing many-on-one with the enthusiastic if horrendous fantasy player who has always wondered why he never ends anywhere near the top of any fantasy league standings.
The less I agonise over my probable team the better. The more instinctive my choices are the smarter they’re likely to be. Pick on current form. Don’t go by reputations; even if they come with glamourous price tags attached to their big names. Remember how so-so and let you down in the IPL? Click. Select. Unselect. Select. Tcha! Try again. Obviously, this business of team selection is great fun. And not easy to master. Not even if you happen to be a cricket expert. (The last few fantasy game leagues in Cricinfo were won by ordinary people our resident ‘cricket experts’ wouldn’t deign to talk cricket with.)
So what does it take to be a good fantasy player? A risk-taker? An impulsive daredevil? A considered analyst? A cricket expert? No, certainly not a cricket expert. (Which, anyway, all cricket lovers are.) It takes is a dangerous obsession to be part of the action always and a willingness to put one’s money where one’s mouse is.
There, I've finally got my teams in place for the Asia Cup edition of Cricinfo fantasy cricket that’s live, up and running. They're called ‘Fantasia’ and ‘The Cuppuccinos’. It’s your turn now.
Posted by: Aditya Acharya at June 25, 2008 7:40 AM
I really love the concept of fantasy cricket. But it would have been better if other pepl were not able to see our team. Your strategies are open for everyone to see. Also are there any prizes?? I don't see anything mentioned.
Posted by: Srijit Mukherji at June 25, 2008 9:13 AM
Someday I'll write a dissertation titled 'An Empirical Analysis of Murphy's Law in Fantasy Cricket'. Right from WC 2007, the guys I pick either get injured or get drunk and capsize in mid-ocean. And in the result, they upset my applecart of intricate sub calculations, which I customize using the Classical Theory of Probability. And I deserve better, because I take Fantasy Cricket (any cricket for that matter) extremely seriously. Who else would personally visit Cricinfo office to change his team, in the classic server disfunctioning fiasco during Twenty-20 WC? In fact, had it not been the case that Cricinfo will not pay me more than my last job (a boring profile of a statiscian/business analyst of the CPG industry), would have gladly pitched in for nice deliveries as an employee. Did bat my eyelids, didn't have the balls - left my job for full time theatre instead. Foolish, coz it pays even less. But then I fear Murphy, and wouldn't want to get frustated with my passion for cricket.
Posted by: pradeep at June 25, 2008 11:28 AM
well i just love fantasy cricket to tell you the truth cricket is more interesting after i played fantasy but i have two suggestions first make it mont wise thats fantasy team for july, aug like that it will be more intersting than separte copmetition for series international match(for ipl nd county separate competion may be suited )
second well every one plays for a prize and its better to give some prizez however small it is
expect ur opininon
Posted by: dipesh at June 28, 2008 7:35 AM
i am hooked 2 fantasy cric.i just love it.well its a difficult task to make a team and manage it by changing trumps each match day....so there should be some prizes for the top 3 to 5 teams...that would bring more ppl to it and also make it more interesting and competetive..
Posted by: arti at June 28, 2008 8:05 AM
Actually i like cricket but i m sorry to say that i hated fantasy cricket(my bro remaining glued to it) not until 1 day i was forced by him to sit down & make a team 4 myself..
Now,i luv it.
1 thing i would like to see changed-
I wanted to pick both dhoni & sanga but only 1 wk is allowed. What if i want 1 as a batsman in my team?? i suggest this should be allowed.
Few suggestions to make it more interesting 4 people(esp girls)-
Prizez
More Prizez
And lots lots morreee................
Avinash Subramaniam always wanted to be a cricket writer and travel the world. After completing his MBA from Mumbai, he has been an advertising writer, fiction writer, poetry writer, freelance writer and serial wronger. He is currently Community Manager and a few other things at Cricinfo. Someday he hopes to be a cricket writer and travel the world.
RSS Feed
