Former Indian cricketer turned broadcaster Sanjay Bangar’s daughter Anaya Bangar, who underwent gender affirming surgery in March of this year, has secured official clearance from Cricket Australia to compete in community cricket matches across the country.
Earlier in the summer, the twenty five year old reached out to the Australian governing body after receiving silence from the Board of Control for Cricket in India regarding a similar inquiry.
This inquiry followed rules introduced two years prior by the International Cricket Council that prohibited transgender women who underwent male puberty from participating in elite women international fixtures. When addressing the news, Anaya shared her excitement in an interview with The Indian Express, stating, ‘It is a great day for me, especially after knowing the fact that I can play cricket. Receiving no reply from the Indian administration, Anaya contacted Cricket Australia in June. WBBL participation still in doubt
There was a stage when I thought I would never play cricket again, but thanks to Cricket Australia, it has given me another chance,’ Last year, the athlete wrote to the national board in India to seek guidance on transgender participation in women events.
Looking ahead, she remains optimistic about reaching higher levels, remarking, ‘If everything goes well and I perform, then I have a chance to play in the WBBL,’ Anaya initiated her transition journey in 2022 through counseling before relocating to the United Kingdom for hormone replacement therapy. Because transitioning has made me comfortable and happier in my own skin, my whole life changed — family dynamics, friendships, career, social focus, everything changed,’ Despite the hardships, she expressed profound contentment, adding, ‘And to be honest, I would do this again. ‘After I published my athlete testing report and everything else, BCCI stayed quiet about it. Whereas Cricket Australia actually read my report, went through all my medical history and had a proper team assessing my case,’ She further explained the thorough vetting process, stating, ‘I approached Cricket Australia and they gave me clearance to play in terms of fairness and inclusivity. They asked for my blood test report and testosterone test report. They asked for the papers for the surgeries that I’ve done. They asked me for my Manchester University report which I had published over a year ago. Reflecting on the intense personal toll of the transition, she shared, ‘Honestly, the journey since the beginning was very painful, not just physically, but emotionally. I wouldn’t trade back for anything else. I would have had to give up cricket as well. And now with Cricket Australia doing this, I am just very happy.’
Detailing the ruling, Cricket Australia Head of Integrity Jacqui Partridge communicated to Anaya, ‘Until March 2027, you remain eligible to participate in Premier Cricket competitions in any State or Territory of Australia. As Premier Cricket is classified as Community Cricket rather than Elite Cricket under the Policy, your participation in those competitions is not affected by this determination,’ Partridge added, ‘Your eligibility for Elite Cricket from that date (March 2027) is conditional upon you providing a blood test upon your arrival in Australia confirming that your serum testosterone concentration remains below 10 nmol/L and that you continue to satisfy the Policy’s eligibility requirements,’ In contrast, a senior representative from the Indian board indicated that local rules lack guidelines for such matters, noting that officials have not yet established a formal position on domestic inclusion for transgender competitors. elite competitions such as the Women’s Big Bash League remain subject to specific testosterone limits While community cricket participation was approved immediately. Under the governing body’s Transgender and Gender Diverse Players in Elite Cricket Policy, athletes must maintain a serum testosterone concentration below ten nmol/L for a minimum period of twelve months to qualify for elite status. Medical Evaluation And Personal Journey Currently recovering from her medical procedures, Anaya is actively searching for an Australian club to resume her sporting pursuits. Her efforts included participating in an evaluation project run by the Institute of Sport at Manchester Metropolitan University to monitor changes in endurance, strength, hormone markers, and glucose levels during hormone therapy. Reflecting on the differing board responses, Anaya noted,
Her advocacy for structured policies began previously when she urged major boards to build frameworks rooted in scientific data rather than outdated views.
