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Last updated on - December 11, 2025, 8:17 PM IST
By
Akshat Jain
In this collection of pictures we shall know Sachin Tendulkar's ex-teammate and Sanjay Dutt's fellow actor who finally opened up on his darkest phase. Let's take a closer look.
Salil Ankola made his Test debut in 1989 against Pakistan in Karachi, in the same match as Sachin Tendulkar. He went on to play 20 ODIs and later served as a BCCI selector.
However, injuries prevented Salil Ankola from representing the team consistently. Ankola has appeared in nine films including two alongside Sanjay Dutt, revealed that he hit a low point in 1997, feeling completely despondent.
"I started drinking quite a bit in despair. In 1997, I was in the best form of my life and suddenly I was injured. Srinath was injured, Manoj Prabhakar had gone, Kapil Paji had retired. So, I was there in the front and suddenly everything just disappears in a flash, And you won't believe, from 1999 or 2000 till 2011, I didn't watch a single match. I've not seen Virender Sehwag playing. I've not seen Virat Kohli debuting. I've not watched Zaheer Khan bowling. I've not seen Ajit Agarkar bowling. My own friends have not seen them playing. Why? I just didn't want to see cricket anymore." Salil said on Vicky Lalwani's YouTube channel.
"I didn't choose to drink how much I drank; it happened over the years. If I was up for 24 hours, then I would be drinking for 24 hours. That was my way of escapism. They tried to stop me, but then it's up to an individual. Maybe I was not ready to stop then. I have been to many rehabs, tried to give up alcohol many times, but it wasn't happening, despite my wanting to," said Salil.
"God has been kind. I shouldn't have been alive. I would have been dead in 2014 itself. I was in ICU, three times given up for dead." He added that his family and wife, Ria, provided unwavering support, helping him get back to a normal life.
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