Perhaps he should have been pushed into the Second Test against Pakistan after all; maybe the selectors will now move his name nearer the top of their list of Ashes possibles. Either way, the 22-year-old, Karachi-born Middlesex player is determined to concentrate on nothing but his batting.
"I've just wanted to play cricket this summer and not get caught up with giving interviews or anything like that," said Shah, whose unfortunate run out triggered England's slump from 196 for three to 240 all out.
"Okay, I've been doing reasonably well but I didn't want to get involved in any talk about the possibility of being picked by England."
Shah was first identified as an international star in the making when, as a 17-year-old, he scored a century for England's Under-19s in Zimbabwe. The last couple of summers, though, saw him struggle horribly.
"I had a terrible season for Middlesex last year," he admitted. "I scored 400-odd runs in 19 knocks and that's terrible for a professional batsman. I've never achieved 1,000 first-class runs in a summer and that's my aim this time.
"I've had a reasonable start so, hopefully, I can get a few more than a thousand."
With 760 in the bank already, at an average of nearly 70, he ought to. If so, his decision to spend last winter playing club cricket in Australia and Mark Ramprakash's move from Middlesex to Surrey will be important factors in the blooming of Shah.
He learned a lot about making every innings count in Australia and Ramprakash's switch prompted Middlesex to give Shah the extra responsibility of batting at No 3 in a young side.
Being added to England's injury-hit one-day squad still came as a shock, however. He said he did not expect to play yesterday and will not be surprised if the selectors decide to get by without him tomorrow.
That may not a bad philosophy for Shah to follow at the moment. But you can bet he is bursting to have another crack at the Aussies in Manchester.
