Ben Stokes has been given licence to captain England in his own way when Test cricket returns today and he plans to do just that – first by solving a selection dilemma then by leading the side in a show of support for Black Lives Matter.
Stokes will take charge of his country for the first time in the #raisethebat series opener against the West Indies, covering regular skipper Joe Root's paternity leave, and the circumstances mean it is far from business as usual.
The game will have the eyes of cricketing world trained on it as the first major international fixture since the coronavirus shutdown in March but it will be hard for the players to tap into that excitement as they take the field in front of empty stands in the bio-secure bubble of the Ageas Bowl.
"The guys we've got here are all unbelievable and they've all put a good case forward."
Stokes also confirmed his side had agreed to show their unity with BLM, in addition to wearing the logo on their playing shirts.
He stopped short of saying players would take a knee in Southampton but added: "There is going to be a gesture shown from us as a team in support of Black Lives Matter towards the equality in society throughout cricket and throughout sport."
