Former India pacemaker Salil Ankola is overcoming severe depression and now wants to ‘re-start work’.

Mumbai: In an encouraging development, former India and Mumbai fast bowler and former national selector Salil Ankola has overcome severe depression for which he was undergoing treatment at a rehabilitation center near Pune for the past one-and-a-half months and is now keen to resume work.“I’d like to go back to work again. I’m really open to any cricket assignment – coaching or anything related to the sport. I’m going out now. I’ve got a few meetings. I’m starting some coaching work here (at Trinity Academy in Pune). I’ll be released (from the rehab center) in 10-15 days. I’m back (again playing with my wife). I feel great now, I’ve lost about 10kg because I’ve been training there in a good gym (at a rehabilitation centre) And most importantly, I am also in good shape,” Ankola told TOI from Pune on Tuesday.Speaking about his difficult period, Ankola said: “(Coming into a rehab center for severe clinical depression) was one of the best decisions I made. I needed that time for myself. I didn’t feel well, which is the most important thing. I talked about it with my wife, who suggested that I should (check into a rehab center for treatment). I had to do it in the middle of my things, in these kinds of treatments I had to leave.Salil’s wife Ria Ankola said: “Salil is doing much better. I met him yesterday in Pune. The doctors are very happy with his progress. He is now able to resume work. They say he will be discharged and will be back home very soon. I have to thank all his friends and supporters for being there for him and being so supportive and helping us all the time.”“Basically the whole thing is that he has been fighting depression very well and has been declared fit to work and to take up new cricket assignments with immediate effect. He is starting his training in Pune from today. Since the assignment will be in Pune and he has already been in Pune, he will stay here till he completes his assignments. Salil is very happy and excited to work abroad again and is looking forward to working abroad again.On 6 May 2026, TOI first reported that Ankola was suffering from severe depression and was admitted to a rehabilitation center near Pune.Ankola was appointed as the national selector on 7 January 2023 and served until August 2024. He was also the chief selector at Mumbai from 2021-23.The 58-year-old has been commentating in domestic cricket and the IPL for the past few years.Ankola played a solitary Test for India against Pakistan in Karachi in 1989 and was the other debutant in the match alongside legends Sachin Tendulkar and Waqar Younis. He scored two goals in this match. He also played 20 ODIs and took 13 wickets. A key pacer for Mumbai in the 1990s, Ankola appeared in 54 first-class matches, taking 181 wickets with best figures of 6-47.