Who is Salil Ankola? All about cricketer-turned-actor whose mother was found dead

Salil Ankola was a fast bowler who played for Team India from 1989-97 before entering the world of acting and working in several films and TV shows.

Former Indian cricketer and actor Salil Ankola’s mother was found dead in her flat on Friday afternoon. 77-year-old Mala Ankola was found with her throat slit in the kitchen of her flat on Prabhat Road in the Deccan Gymkhana area in Pune. While the police is investigating the shocking death of the septuagenarian, Salil Ankola has inadvertently found himself under the spotlight again. (

Salil Ankola made his Team India debut alongside Sachin Tendulkar before turning to acting

Who is Salil Ankola?

Born in 1968 in Karnataka's Ankola, Salil rose quickly to become a promising fast bowler, making his debut for Maharashtra in 1988 and eventually playing for Team India the following year. Making his debut alongside Sachin Tendulkar, Ankola failed to make his mark though, playing a solitary Test and 20 ODIs. By 1997, he had quit cricket due to injuries. Ankola then turned to acting, making his debut with the Zee TV show Chahat aur Nafrat before getting noticed in Kora Kagaz (1998-99). He appeared in films such as Kurukshetra, Pitaah, and Chura Liya Hai Tumne, in which he was the primary antagonist. Salil was a contestant on Bigg Boss in its inaugural season and was the first to be ejected.

In 2008, Salil Ankola went thrugh a turbulent time in his life when his acting gigs dried up and he became an alcoholic, which led to his divorce in 2011. The cricketer-turned-actor bounced back with roles in Savdhaan India and the Tamil film Pambattam.

Salil Ankola's mother's death

The body of Mala Ashok Ankola (77) was found in with her throat slit, a police official said, adding the injuries prima facie look ‘self-inflicted’. Police stated the deceased lived with her daughter. On Friday, after the maid opened the door on Friday, she found Ankola lying with injuries. "The incident came to light after her maid came to the flat and then alerted relatives after no one answered the door," the official said. As of now, police have filed an accidental death case report and further investigation to ascertain the reason behind her death is ongoing.