ILR if wife is in different visa category

[physku]

I got my ILR very recently (last week). However Wife was on Tier 2 (many reasons which I cannot get into now) for 2 years and she has just gone back to India (in Nov last week that was before I got my ILR). Will those 2 years count (even though she was not in a dependent category) towards ILR. If yes, should she return within 90 days of her having left UK (so by end of February).

I am presuming that to get ILR immediately, wife should have been in a dependent visa category. Or is the only option to get a Spouse visa first, implying a delay of 2 years before she gets her ILR.