Anaya Bangar, the daughter of former India cricketer and ex-batting coach Sanjay Bangar, has made a shocking claim, accusing several cricketers of harassing her by sending unsolicited nude photographs. Anaya, who has openly shared her journey of transitioning through Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), reflected on the struggles she has faced—not only socially but also within the cricketing community.
In a frank discussion with India Today’s sister channel, Lallantop, Anaya revealed the challenging path she has walked since coming out, sharing stories of both support and harassment from people in the sport.
“There has been support, but also harassment… There were a few cricketers who randomly sent me nude pictures,” Anaya told Lallantop.
Background of Anaya Bangar
Anaya, previously known as Aryan, first gained public attention when she opened up about her life post-HRT and began advocating for greater inclusivity within cricket. However, her latest revelations expose a more troubling side of her journey, including receiving inappropriate messages and facing harassment from fellow cricketers during her transition.
In the same interview, Anaya spoke about the emotional toll of concealing her true gender identity while playing as Aryan. She recalled how she had to hide her identity to avoid complications, despite sharing the field with prominent current Indian players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, and Musheer Khan. She further alleged that the abuse was not limited to digital harassment but also included verbal abuse, even from senior and veteran players.
Anaya says Cricket world is filled with “Toxic Masculinity”
“I played with some well-known cricketers like Musheer Khan, Sarfaraz Khan, and Yashasvi Jaiswal. I had to keep my identity a secret because my dad is a well-known figure. The cricket world is filled with insecurity and toxic masculinity,” Anaya shared.
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“The person used to abuse me in front of everyone. Then, that same person would come sit next to me and ask for my photos. There was another instance when I was in India, and I told a veteran cricketer about my situation. He told me, ‘Let’s go in the car, I want to sleep with you,'” she added.
Anaya’s story comes at a pivotal moment, as the International Cricket Council (ICC) recently revised its rules regarding transgender women in cricket. In response, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) also updated its policy, now preventing transgender women from participating in international matches and top-tier domestic women’s cricket in Tiers 1 and 2.
