Jonny Bairstow will hand England's wicketkeeping gloves to Jos Buttler next week - but the more difficult conversation may be trying to convince him to do so permanently.
Bairstow was named in a 14-man England squad to face India in the fourth Test at the Ageas Bowl, while James Vince returned as batting cover for the Yorkshireman, who has a broken finger.
It is understood that injury will prevent Bairstow from keeping wicket, even if he is passed fit to bat as England seek to bounce back from their Trent Bridge trouncing in a series they lead 2-1 with two to play.
Buttler took over from Bairstow by necessity mid-match in Nottingham, and England's white-ball wicketkeeper will stay behind the stumps in Southampton.
And coach Trevor Bayliss acknowledges that the man in possession always has it in his own hands to make sure he stays put.
"If that gives someone else another opportunity ... it's like any injury, if someone comes in and does well, then you have a decision to make," said Bayliss.
The Australian could then face a test of his man-management skills.
"That'll be the hard thing, trying to convince Jonny," Bayliss added.
"If that was the way we went, it would certainly be a deep conversation with someone like that. Jonny's a reasonable bloke.
England have no qualms about deploying Bairstow as a specialist batsman - as he is in white-ball cricket.
"He is a world-class batter, we know that," said Bayliss.
England have other pressing issues, not least the flaky top-order batting which has seen them descend to 4-100 or worse in half of their last 62 Test innings.
After they lost all 10 first-innings wickets in one session in Nottingham last weekend, Bayliss and captain Joe Root decided it was again time for some straight-talking.
"We had a chat on Sunday night, and that was what the discussion was around - how it happens, why it happens and what to do about it and not letting it happen again," said the coach.
"It is not the first time it has happened - and we speak about it every time.
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