Anaya Bangar, child of former Indian cricketer and coach Sanjay Bangar, has shared her courageous journey of gender affirmation, shedding light on the personal and professional struggles she faced during and after her transition.
Previously known as Aryan, Anaya is an athlete who once followed in her father’s footsteps, playing age-group cricket in India. However, she revealed that continuing a cricketing career after undergoing hormone replacement therapy and gender reaffirming surgery presented significant hurdles—both systemic and social.
In a recent interview with Lallantop, Anaya spoke openly about recognising her identity at a young age. “I was about eight or nine when I started wearing my mother’s clothes and would say to the mirror, ‘I am a girl. I want to be a girl,’” she shared.
Despite playing alongside now-renowned cricketers like Musheer Khan, Sarfaraz Khan, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, Anaya kept her identity private for years, especially considering her father’s high profile in the cricketing world. “Cricket is filled with insecurity and toxic masculinity,” she said, explaining the pressure she faced.
Anaya also discussed both support and harassment she experienced after her transition. “There were some who stood by me, but there were also instances of harassment. Some cricketers randomly sent me inappropriate photos. Others used abusive language publicly but then privately approached me for pictures or worse,” she revealed.
She further recalled a disturbing incident involving a veteran cricketer who, upon learning about her identity, made an unsolicited sexual advance.
Anaya has played club cricket for Islam Gymkhana in Mumbai and Hinckley Cricket Club in Leicestershire, UK. However, her aspirations to play at higher levels were dealt a blow in November 2023, when the International Cricket Council (ICC) ruled that transgender athletes would not be eligible to compete in women’s international cricket.
“Inclusivity is incredibly important to us, but our priority was to protect the integrity of the women’s game and ensure safety,” ICC CEO Geoff Allardice had stated at the time.
Reacting to the ruling, Anaya expressed her disappointment on Instagram, where she continues to actively engage with her followers and advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion in sports.
Now based in Manchester, Anaya remains a powerful voice for acceptance, equity, and change in both cricket and society at large.
