The big team news, the one that will have everyone smiling, for the Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2017 match on Good Friday is the return of Virat Kohli. The skipper hasn't played a game yet in this season's Indian Premier League, owing to a shoulder injury.
That injury was picked up on the opening day of the third Test against Australia in Ranchi, with Kohli eventually going on to miss the fourth Test match, which India went on to win to seal the series.
The India and RCB skipper has had to watch from the sidelines as his teams went about their business, and while he would have been thrilled to see his country top a team as strong as Australia, he would have been a touch worried at the start that RCB have made in IPL 2017.
In three matches so far, RCB have suffered two defeats.
Crucially, though, both those defeats have been away from home.
With this match being played at the Chinnaswamy, RCB's fortress, the chances are that the finalists from last season will get back to winning ways again.
Much of that will, of course, depend on how well Kohli returns to action, with the Royal Challengers fans already excited to have AB De Villiers return to the lineup after the South African missed the first two games with a back injury.
De Villiers made a brilliant comeback, scoring a ridiculous 89 from 46 balls. However, that RCB innings was only about De Villiers, and that is something that cannot happen against the Mumbai Indians.
Kohli's return will help with lending support to the batting lineup, with the other big question being if Gayle will also play.
The West Indian was dropped by RCB for their last match, against the Kings XI Punjab, with Gayle making way for De Villiers.
With RCB feeling the need for two overseas fast bowlers – Tymal Mills and Billy Stanlake – and Shane Watson captaining the side with Kohli missing, Gayle had to sit out.
Kohli, speaking to reporters on Thursday, hinted at a possible return for the big Jamaican for this home game against the Mumbai Indians.
"When you want to create a combination, you are thrown in all the names," Kohli said. "Chris has always been a priority for us. Last game was a scenario when AB came in, Watto was the captain and other two guys were bowling well.
"So it was difficult to leave the other three out and AB is a no-brainer. But what works for us in Bengaluru will definitely be considered and Chris is a big contender to be playing the home games for us."
Gayle has a tremendous record at the Chinnaswamy and if RCB feel the best way to beat the Mumbai Indians is by backing their batting, then the 37-year-old could come in for either Stanlake or Mills.
Kohli is likely to play at the expense of Vishnu Vinod, which would mean Kedar Jadhav taking up the duties of the wicketkeeper.
The Mumbai Indians are on a two-match winning streak, with both of those victories coming at the Wankhede. Away from home, MI are more vulnerable, but having won two in a row, Rohit Sharma and Mahela Jayawardene will probably not want to change their team combinations too much.
If they do, Mitchell McClenaghan might be given a breather after conceding too many in the last game, with Tim Southee and Mitchell Johnson being the options to replace the New Zealander.
Ambati Rayudu is still out through injury, so there shouldn't be any change in the batting lineup.
Confirmed playing XI:
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB): Virat Kohli (C), Chris Gayle, AB De Villiers, Kedar Jadhav, Mandeep Singh, Stuart Binny, Pawan Negi, Tymal Mills, Samuel Badree, Yuzvendra Chahal, S Aravind.
Mumbai Indians (MI): Jos Buttler, Parthiv Patel, Rohit Sharma (C), Nitish Rana, Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, Hardik Pandya, Harbhajan Singh, Tim Southee, Mitchell McClenaghan, Jasprit Bumrah.
