IPL Fantasy Guru: 13 take-aways from the first week

Rajasthan Royals vs. Mumbai Indians

Transfers made – 2; Transfers remaining – 66

AB de Villiers out – Ajinkya Rahane in

Virat Kohli out – Steven Smith in

Karun Nair out - Sanju Samson in

Captain – Steven Smith/Rohit Sharma

Guru’s team for RR vs MI match

The two best Mumbai Indians picks for this match – Rohit Sharma and Corey Anderson – are already in my team. The Royals have one of the weakest bowling units in the IPL, so both these batsmen have the potential to return points.

Coming to the Royals side of it, I would be drafting in Steven Smith. While the threat of him being demoted is always there, if he plays at No.3, it could be game over for the Mumbai Indians. If the Royals drop Karun Nair and bring in an Indian bowler for this match, it is a good sign of Smith batting at No.3 despite Watson's inclusion. Reports suggest that Watson will be fit for this encounter, and dropping Nair is the only way they can afford to have him in. Nair hasn’t helped his case by failing with the bat in both the matches so far.

Watson batted at 4 last season and he may very well continue to bat at that position, giving Smith space at the top of the order. At No.4, Watson was hardly impressive last season and he is not bowling as much as he did in the first 6 years of IPL as well. So, I wouldn’t have him in my team.

I don’t generally bring in Rahane, but the Royals play twice in a span of three matches and there is a real possibility of carrying him over for two more matches as well. So, that’s great value for a substitution.

Deepak Hooda will obviously be my first choice uncapped player pick for this match. Sanju Samson hasn’t done anything of note yet this season, but I need a wicket-keeper and he comes for free. Given how ineffective Mumbai bowlers have been this season, I wouldn’t be surprised if Samson helps himself to an easy half-century.

Kings XI Punjab vs Delhi Daredevils

Transfers made – 0; Transfers remaining – 66

Yuzvendra Chahal out – Anureet Singh in

Captain – Sandeep Sharma/Imran Tahir

Guru’s team for KXIP vs DD match

If Glenn Maxwell can’t deliver against Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians, I don’t see how he will do anything of note against the Delhi Daredevils who have two leg-spinners and both in some brilliant form. So, he stays out. Virender Sehwag is unpredictable. He could be easily sorted out by the new ball, but if he escapes that, he will tear into the spinners.

Miller could be stifled by the spinners in case he comes in early; if he is reserved for the death overs, he wouldn’t get too many balls to affect you anyway. Nothing appears certain from the Daredevils side of it as well, except Imran Tahir. I have already explained why I consider him as an asset this season. I get him in and captain him as well.

Shreyas Iyer may have done well against Rajasthan Royals, but Kings XI Punjab have too good a bowling attack for him to mess around.

Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals

Transfers made – 0; Transfers remaining – 66

Anureet Singh out – J Suchitch in

Captain – David Warner/Steve Smith

Guru’s team for SRH vs. RR match

Unless the deck here springs up a surprise, David Warner, Ajinkya Rahane, Steven Smith and Shikhar Dhawan should all be amongst the runs. Wickets should be split.

With both Samson and Hooda in my team, I have decided to bring in J Suchitch from Mumbai Indians as my uncapped player for this team. He would be required to get rid of the Super Kings opening pair of Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith, who generally struggle against left-arm spinners, and he has proved to be quite handy with the bat as well.