Former India pacer and Mumbai stalwart Salil Ankola has opened up about the darkest phase of his life, revealing that severe alcoholism nearly claimed his life after injuries derailed a promising international career. The 57-year-old, who debuted alongside Sachin Tendulkar in the 1989 Karachi Test against Pakistan and played one Test and 20 ODIs, admitted he drank continuously for over a decade, once going 24 hours straight, and believes he “should have died” long ago.

Speaking candidly on journalist Vicky Lalwani’s YouTube channel, Ankola recalled how 1997 marked a turning point. At the peak of his form—when Javagal Srinath was injured, Manoj Prabhakar had departed, and Kapil Dev had retired—he suffered a career-threatening injury that abruptly ended his India prospects. “Everything disappeared in a flash,” he said, describing the despair that triggered heavy drinking as his primary escape mechanism.

From 1999–2000 until 2011, Ankola completely detached himself from cricket, refusing to watch a single match—not even Virender Sehwag’s triple centuries, Virat Kohli’s debut, or friends like Zaheer Khan and Ajit Agarkar in action. Multiple stints in rehabilitation centres failed until his family, particularly his wife, Ria, stood firmly by him. In 2014, he was admitted to the ICU three times and given up for dead but survived what he now calls divine intervention.

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After conquering addiction, Ankola rebuilt his life in cricket administration, serving as a national selector for the BCCI and later as Mumbai’s chief selector. The all-rounder also carved a second career in acting, featuring in nine films, including Kurukshetra and Chura Liyaa Hai Tumne alongside Sanjay Dutt.

Now sober for over a decade, Ankola credits his family’s unwavering support for his recovery and views his survival as a second chance. Once among India’s most exciting fast-bowling prospects, he has transformed personal tragedy into a story of resilience that continues to inspire within cricketing circles.

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