Salary cap math: the 4-3-1-3 split that works

The 4-3-1-3 split is the desk's baseline: four batters, three all-rounders, one keeper, three bowlers. The split is not arbitrary. It reflects the role frequency in fantasy cricket: batters and bowlers dominate the player pool, but all-rounders carry the highest variance ceiling.

The credit allocation

The desk allocates credits by role:

• 4 batters — 38–44 credits. Spread the credit across top-order, middle-order, and a finisher.
• 3 all-rounders — 27–33 credits. All-rounders are the highest-ceiling role; allocate generously.
• 1 keeper — 8–11 credits. The keeper is a specialist role; budget for batting order.
• 3 bowlers — 24–30 credits. Pace on green, spin on dry; allocate by surface.

Worked example from last week

Last week's slate featured a flat deck at Wankhede. The desk picked:

• 4 batters at 42 credits (top-order + middle-order + finisher + lower-order)
• 3 all-rounders at 30 credits (two seam-bowling + one spin-bowling)
• 1 keeper at 10 credits (top-of-the-order gloveman)
• 3 bowlers at 18 credits (one specialist pace + two part-time)

Total: 100 credits across 11 players. The captain pick was the spin-bowling all-rounder on a flat deck with dew favouring the chase.

When to deviate

The 4-3-1-3 split is the baseline. Deviate when:

• The surface favours pace heavily — drop a batter, add a bowler.
• The contest is mega — bias toward ceiling (more all-rounders).
• The contest is head-to-head — bias toward ownership edge (more top-order batters).