PREDICTIONS DESK Updated 18:42

Picks with a reason.

Three picks a day, one per sport, with the editor's reasoning and a confidence rating. Predictions are opinions. The COMESPORTSBUZZ desk publishes the pick, the reasoning and the alternative scenarios - never a guarantee.

Today's picks Yesterday's record

TODAY

Three picks for today

One cricket pick, one football pick, one kabaddi pick. The reasoning is below the card.

PICK: India to win

IND vs AUS, 2nd Test, Day 3 forecast

IND

AUS

Pitch is expected to break from the rough outside off. India's spin depth tilts a tight Test their way if they bowl last.

Confidence

62%

PICK: Over 2.5 goals

Real Madrid vs Barcelona, La Liga

RMA

FCB

Both clubs average over 1.7 expected goals at home in the last six meetings. Barca's high line invites the transition.

Confidence

71%

PICK: Bengaluru to win

Pro Kabaddi, Bengaluru vs Patna

BEE

PAT

Bengaluru's raid conversion at home has hit 53% in the second half of the season. Patna's left corner is missing cover through injury.

Confidence

58%

REASONING

Why we pick the way we do

The editorial principles behind every pick on the desk.

Form over noise

A pick is grounded in the verified form of the last six matches, the head-to-head, the venue and the conditions. We do not weight one-off results above the trend line.

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Confidence is honest

A confidence rating is the editor's honest read of the probability range. We never publish a confidence of 90% or above because we don't believe such certainty exists.

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Reasoning is published

The reasoning is on the card, not behind a paywall or a sign-up form. The alternative scenario - what would have to go wrong for the pick to lose - is also on the card.

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PREDICTIONS DESK

Three picks. Three reads. One timestamp.

Every day, the COMESPORTSBUZZ predictions desk publishes three picks across cricket, football and one other sport. Each pick carries a confidence rating and the reasoning behind it.

Today's picks Yesterday's record

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

A short list of common questions. Can't find what you're looking for? Try the contact desk.

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How do you choose the three picks?

One pick per sport, with at least one cricket and one football pick on most days. The third pick rotates across tennis, kabaddi and basketball depending on the day's card.

What does the confidence rating mean?

It is the editor's honest read of the probability range. 70% does not mean the pick will win seven times out of ten. It means the editor believes seven out of ten is the right range, given what is known on the day.

Do you publish past performance?

Yes - the desk publishes a rolling 30-day record on the archive page. We do not cherry-pick. We do not hide losing picks.

Are picks free?

Yes. The predictions desk is free to read. We do not sell picks, accept affiliate revenue from sports operators or run a paid tipping service.

HOW THIS DESK WORKS

How the COMESPORTSBUZZ desk operates

The editorial routine that runs every section of COMESPORTSBUZZ, from the morning brief to the corrections log.

The morning brief

Published at 06:00 IST, the morning brief summarises overnight football results, the day's cricket fixtures, the editor pick of the day and one correction from the previous day. The brief is written by the desk editor on shift, with input from the cricket, football and tennis correspondents.

The live desk

The live desk refreshes inside 30 seconds of every wicket, goal and set point. Score ticks, possession and run rate update on the same cadence as the official scorecard. The desk runs 24 hours, with overnight cover from the London and New York offices.

The corrections log

Every correction issued in the last 90 days appears on the corrections log, with the article link, the date of correction and the corrected text. The log is updated daily. We do not make silent edits.

The standards editor

The standards editor reviews conflicts-of-interest disclosures, signs off on the use of unnamed sources, and reviews every correction before it is published. The standards editor reports directly to the desk editor and has a separate escalation path to the publisher.

The data desk

The data desk maintains the live scoreboard, the standings tables and the verified stats referenced in every story. The data desk is staffed by two full-time editors and is supported by a network of stringers who cover regional cricket, lower-division football and the international kabaddi circuit.

The night brief

The night brief is published at 22:30 IST and summarises the day's results, the editor verdict on the day's three biggest matches, and a look ahead to the next day's fixtures. The night brief is written by the on-shift editor and edited by the standards editor before publication.

DEEPER COVERAGE

More from this desk

A closer look at the topics we cover most often.

The 30-day record

The COMESPORTSBUZZ predictions desk publishes a rolling 30-day record on the archive page. The record is updated daily, with the pick, the result, the confidence rating and the actual outcome. The desk does not cherry-pick the record or hide losing picks.

The 30-day record includes only picks that were published before the match started. Picks that were voided (because the match was postponed or abandoned) are excluded from the record. Picks that were withdrawn because of a late team news change are also excluded.

Why we publish a confidence rating

The confidence rating is the editor's honest read of the probability range. A 70% rating does not mean the pick will win seven times out of ten. It means the editor believes seven out of ten is the right range, given what is known on the day.

The desk never publishes a confidence of 90% or above because we don't believe such certainty exists in sport. The desk also does not publish a confidence of 20% or below because such low confidence picks are not useful for the reader.

The wider context

The COMESPORTSBUZZ predictions desk publishes three picks per day: one cricket, one football, and one rotating sport (tennis, kabaddi or basketball). The picks are made by the desk editor on shift, with input from the on-shift journalist. The picks are published at 09:00 IST each day, with the reasoning and the alternative scenarios on the same card.

The predictions desk is editorially independent of the rest of the desk. The standards editor reviews every pick before publication, and the publisher signs off on the annual list of the year's most accurate picks. The desk does not accept advertising, sponsored placements or affiliate revenue.

The 30-day record is published on the archive page. The record includes only picks that were published before the match started. Picks that were voided (because the match was postponed or abandoned) are excluded. Picks that were withdrawn because of a late team news change are also excluded. The record is updated daily.

The predictions desk does not charge for picks. The predictions desk does not sell picks to third parties. The predictions desk does not run a tipping service. The desk publishes the picks, the reasoning and the alternative scenarios in full, free to read.

What else to know

The reasoning format

Every pick on the COMESPORTSBUZZ predictions desk is published with the reasoning on the same card. The reasoning covers the form of the last six matches, the head-to-head record, the venue, the conditions and the key players. The reasoning is written in plain English, not jargon.

The desk also publishes the alternative scenario on the same card - what would have to go wrong for the pick to lose. The alternative scenario is a useful prompt for the reader to make their own assessment of the pick.

The archive

The COMESPORTSBUZZ predictions desk publishes a 30-day rolling record on the archive page. The record includes every pick, the result, the confidence rating and the actual outcome. The record is updated daily, with the previous day's results added by 09:00 IST.

The archive also includes the year-end summary. The 2026 year-end summary will be published on 31 December 2026, with the total picks, the winning percentage, the best sport and the biggest upset. The summary is published on the archive page.