IPL Fantasy 2018: Rules, Tips and Top Players to Target

Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings will kick off the 2018 Indian Premier League season on Saturday, April 7, meaning the latest edition of the IPL fantasy campaign is right around the corner.

As always, competition organisers have kept a tight lid on this year's player prices and rules. They likely also had to make some last-minute changes following the bans for Steve Smith and David Warner for their roles in Australia's ball-tampering scandal in the Test series against South Africa, per the league's official website.

Here's a look at last year's key regulations and some tips on how to assemble a winning team.

Team Makeup

Batsmen: Four to five

All-rounders: At least one

Wicketkeepers: Exactly one

Bowlers: At least two

Franchise Spread: Your team cannot have more than six players from the same IPL franchise.

International players: Teams are limited to four overseas players. In addition, every side needs to include at least one uncapped Indian player, per Golden Jeeto.

The IPL website will be updated with the new complete regulations shortly.

Tips

Find a good source for your stats. The internet is filled with databases for cricket players, but not every website agrees with what the other says. In general, ESPN Cricinfo and the IPL's own website are your safest bets. Both have detailed statistics for the 2017 season and, more importantly, a lengthy database that goes back years.

Play it safe. Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa, Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina seem to do well in the IPL on a yearly basis―don't pass up the opportunity to grab one of these players, especially as the group of top batsmen lost some depth with the banishing of Warner and Smith.

Players to Target

Suresh Raina, Chennai Super Kings

As highlighted by Cricbuzz's Harsha Bhogle, Raina will be part of an exceptionally deep group of batsmen for the returning Super Kings. Last year's fifth-placed finisher in runs scored will likely slide in behind Faf du Plessis and Shane Watson, two excellent openers who should set a fine pace for him to work with:

There are a ton of talented batsmen in the IPL, including a host of players with an excellent track record, and it will be hard for fans not to back superstar Virat Kohli. But Royal Challengers Bangalore finished in last place in 2017 and didn't have a single batsman finishing in the top 20 for runs scored.

Kohli and AB de Villiers will be fine pickups, but someone like Raina seems a safer bet at this point. Chennai's return to the IPL has been an emotional one before the first delivery has even been bowled, and there are huge expectations surrounding the team.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sunrisers Hyderabad

If you're looking for a bowler and you have your choice of the lot, this is a no-brainer. Kumar has won the purple cap in back-to-back years and also finished in the top three in 2014. In 2015, he finished in seventh place.

The 28-year-old is in his prime and should start the tournament feeling rested after a short break. He was named Sunrisers' vice-captain behind New Zealand's Kane Williamson, who enters the IPL after a starring display in the Test series against England.

Williamson should have no issues with that role, allowing his vice-captain to focus on what he does best―taking lots of wickets from start to finish.