Salil Ankola’s cricketing bow was bowled in style—debuting with Sachin Tendulkar in the 1989 Karachi Test against Pakistan. The right-arm pacer’s international ledger reads modestly: one Test, 20 ODIs, and 1996 World Cup duty. Injuries sidelined him early, prompting retirement at 28 and a bold leap into entertainment.
He made waves on television with roles in ‘CID’, ‘Kahatay Hain Dil’, ‘Kora Kagaz’, and ‘Shssh… Koi Hai’. Films followed: a pivotal policeman in 2000’s ‘Kurukshetra’, plus ‘Pitaah’, the romantic ‘Chura Liya Hai Tumne’, and ‘Silence Please… The Dressing Room’. Entering ‘Bigg Boss’ in 2006, he exuded star quality.
Beneath the spotlight, darkness loomed. Post-1997 retirement, isolation bred alcoholism from 1999-2011. Drinking became pathological; daytime sobriety meant non-stop boozing. Cricket evoked trauma, rehabs proved futile despite family pleas. Crisis peaked in 2014 with 12 ICU trips and three near-death experiences.
A pivotal 2011 World Cup viewing in rehab marked his turnaround. Recognizing addiction as illness, bolstered by kin and therapy, he emerged victorious by 2014. Now thriving, Ankola contributes to cricket as past Mumbai chief selector and recent national selector (2023-2024). His arc—from prodigy to patient, actor to advocate—illuminates the power of perseverance.