I don't have a girlfriend: Ishant Sharma

Ishant says he has not even met Sameera with whom he is rumoured to be in a relationship.

He is just 19, already worth millions and cricket's hottest young property Ishant Sharma will make a mark in Bollywood soon with an appearance in Ajit Pal's cricketing movie Victory.

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But that, according to the rumour mill, is not his only filmi connection - stories have been floating about a relationship with actress Sameera Reddy.

Some news sites reported that he and Sameera met during the IPL and have, since then, been constantly exchanging messages and calls. Not so, says Ishant. "I haven't even met her" He has no girlfriend and is still very much single, he says.

But talk about Katrina Kaif and he blushes. Ishant has been frank about his admiration for the actress.

"Katrina is just a friend, nothing else. There's nothing more to it."

The sports star is yet to become a seasoned corporate-cricketer who has his every word measured and is very much the boy-next door hanging around with friends in Patel Nagar Fresh from the tri-series at Bangladesh, which ended in disappointment after India lost to Pakistan in the finals, Ishant now wants to focus on the upcoming Asia Cup in Pakistan.

"This tour (Bangladesh) wasn't a good one for me. Now I want to give my best in the upcoming one," says Ishant, who was at the launch of a new Reebok outlet in Safdarjung.

The lanky 6' 4" 1ad was seen checking out his IPL Kolkata team jersey, and other cricketing gears. So, what was sharing the same dressing room with Ricky Ponting like?

"Oh, wonderful. He is a class player and it was a great experience," he says.

Did it ever occur to him that playing for Delhi would've been better? "We are professionals, and it was all the same," says Ishant, a tad disappointed with his not-so-good show in the IPL - he was the most expensive pick for Shah Rukh Khan at Rs 3.8 crores.

"Ya, I know. But in Twenty 20 you have so less time to adapt." Has his life changed in the past year? "A lot," says Ishant. "But I haven't, and neither have my dear ones."

Ishant recently watched Mere Baap Pehle Aap. "I love comedies," he says, believing in "having a good laugh, if I'm paying". So who is Ishant's favourite Bollywood star other than Katrina? 'Well, no one,' he says. "It's Katrina only," he says and signs off.