Sachin Tendulkar’s Debut Mate Recovers from Clinical Depression

The game of cricket exposes players to two extremes: fame and struggle. While most learn to handle fame, dealing with setbacks and hardships is often much harder and is ignored. One such case could be observed in the Indian cricket team, where on November 15, 1989, two players made their test debut, Sachin Tendulkar and Salil Ankola.

One player went on to become the best cricketer in the world, while another played his first and last test match and faced several injuries that led him to take early retirement. Sachin Tendulkar debut mate, Salil Ankola, has been battling clinical depression for a very long time and has finally recovered from it. Let's have a look at Salil Ankola's early days to Salil Ankola depression battle.

Salil Ankola Comeback From Clinical Depression

The journey of former Indian cricketer, Salil Ankola, has never been an easy one and has seen a lot of ups and downs. However, he took an early retirement from cricket, but he never got away from cricket and came back in various administrative roles, from Mumbai's chief selector to being part of the Indian selection committee till August 2024. He has also been working as a commentator across various tournaments and leagues. However, apart from this, he entered the entertainment industry and worked in several shows like “Sshh... Koi Hai" and worked with several big stars of the industry.

According to his family, it is likely that Salil Ankola depression began after he lost his mother in October 2024 and continued his mental struggle. As per the TOI, he has been under the rehabilitation and mental health care centre near Pune. In June 2026, Salil Ankola's wife took to social media, showing gratitude for improving the mental health of Salil Ankola, who has recovered from clinical depression. Gaurav Gupta of TOI also took on X, sharing the good news of Sachin Tendulkar debut mate, Salil Ankola comeback.

Salil Ankola Career

Salil Ankola began his cricket journey on a special note, making his debut for India in 1989 alongside Sachin Tendulkar. He was a fast bowler known for his pace and energy and played one Test and 20 ODI matches for India. However, injuries and inconsistent performances limited his career at the international level. After leaving cricket, Ankola found success in the entertainment industry, working in TV shows and films. His journey shows how he handled ups and downs in life and built a new path in cricket in various administrative roles. He has also been part of the Marathi commentary panel of the biggest cricket league in the world, IPL.