Just look at the body language! A veteran player, highly rated (don't know why??) NEVER looked confident in any of his international innings other than minnows (even in that 90 odd innings in Australia). Now look at Shankar (and for that matter, potential replacements like Karthik and Pant)! All of them are busy players, rotate strikes, play for the team selflessly (not try to maintain personal average or milestone).