One of the great dilemmas for England coach Steve Borthwick during this year's Six Nations was what to do about having two playmakers named Smith who could each play fly-half, with the popular solution seeming to be to select Marcus Smith at full-back to accommodate both.
It's a blueprint that has been followed by Lions coach Andy Farrell, who named a total of nine English players in his starting XV, with scrum-half Alex Mitchell named to partner Fin Smith in the half-backs.
Marcus Smith will marshal wingers Tommy Freeman and Duhan van der Merwe from the back, while Bundee Aki and Sione Tuipulotu pose a daunting centre pairing in the Irish capital.
Luke Cowan-Dickie starts at hooker, where he will pack down either side of props Ellis Genge and Finlay Bealham, who was brought into the squad as a late replacement for the injured Zander Fagerson.
Captain Itoje is joined by Ireland's Tadhg Beirne in the second row, with Tom Curry, Jac Morgan and Ben Earl the three loose forwards selected for the task of taking on the Pumas.
England's young superstar Pollock has been selected on the bench, and is set to feature on the same stage where he and his Northampton team-mates shocked Leinster in the semi-finals of the Champions Cup last month.
"Congratulations to Maro Itoje ahead of leading out the Lions for the first time - it is a truly special moment and one that very few players ever get to experience," Farrell said.
"Maro has led the group well during our time in Portugal and then Dublin this week. This is also our first
opportunity to show what the 2025 Lions are about and what we want to stand for as a team.
"We know that Argentina will challenge us up front and out wide - so Friday night will be a tough contest, but also a great occasion for all the fans."
The British & Irish Lions v Argentina
Starting XV: 15. Marcus Smith, 14. Tommy Freeman, 13. Sione Tuipulotu, 12. Bundee Aki, 11. Duhan van der Merwe, 10. Fin Smith, 9. Alex Mitchell, 1. Ellis Genge, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Finlay Bealham, 4. Maro Itoje (c), 5. Tadhg Beirne, 6. Tom Curry, 7. Jac Morgan, 8. Ben Earl.
Replacements: 16. Ronan Kelleher, 17. Pierre Schoeman, 18. Tadhg Furlong, 19. Scott Cummings, 20. Henry Pollock, 21. Tomos Williams, 22. Elliot Daly, 23. Mack Hansen.