NEW DELHI: Anaya Bangar, daughter of former India cricketer and coach Sanjay Bangar, has spoken out concerning the poisonous masculinity that continues to plague the cricketing world. In a candid interview, Anaya revealed disturbing experiences she has confronted throughout the cricketing circle, together with receiving nude photographs from cricketers, verbal abuse, and being propositioned by a former participant.
Anaya, who publicly got here out final 12 months and shared her journey of transformation by hormone substitute remedy and gender-affirming surgical procedure, was previously referred to as Aryan. She adopted in her father’s footsteps, taking part in age-group cricket in India. Nevertheless, she mentioned the journey after transitioning got here with many challenges.

“There was assist and there have been some harassment as effectively,” Anaya mentioned throughout an interview with Lallantop, reflecting on her journey.
When requested how fellow cricketers responded after her gender-affirming surgical procedure, Anaya mentioned: “There have been just a few cricketers who randomly despatched me nude photos of them.”

She additionally shared extra distressing experiences:
“The particular person used to present gaalis in entrance of all people. The identical particular person then used to return and sit beside me and ask for my photographs. There was one other occasion, after I was in India, I advised a puraane (veteran) cricketer about my scenario. He advised me let’s go within the automobile, I need to sleep with you.”
Having performed alongside distinguished Indian cricketers like Musheer Khan, Sarfaraz Khan, and Yashasvi Jaiswal throughout her early years, Anaya mentioned she was pressured to maintain her id hidden due to her father’s public profile.
“I needed to preserve secrecy about myself as a result of dad is a well-known determine. Cricket world is stuffed with insecurity and poisonous masculinity,” she added.
Anaya has represented Islam Gymkhana in Mumbai’s membership circuit and likewise performed for Hinckley Cricket Membership in Leicestershire, UK.
Nevertheless, her cricketing ambitions confronted a serious setback in November 2023, when the Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC) launched a brand new coverage barring transgender ladies from taking part in worldwide ladies’s cricket.
“Inclusivity is extremely necessary to us as a sport, however our precedence was to guard the integrity of the worldwide ladies’s sport and the security of gamers,” then-ICC CEO Geoff Allardice had mentioned.
Anaya responded to the coverage with an in depth put up on Instagram, expressing her disappointment with the choice.

She at present resides in the UK.