Anaya Bangar slams BCCI for ignoring plea to resume play: We serve in silence
Anaya Bangar’s dream of returning to competitive cricket has received a major boost after Cricket Australia cleared the way for her to play women’s community cricket. While Australia gave the trans-athlete an opportunity to return to the sport she loves, Bangar expressed her disappointment at the lack of response she received after approaching the BCCI to continue her cricketing journey in India.
A 25-year-old girl who began her transition in 2022 and she underwent gender confirmation surgery in March this year, she hoped the Indian cricket board would clarify her eligibility. Instead, she said she received no response, while Cricket Australia allowed her to participate at community level, offering a potential route to elite cricket subject to her eligibility requirements.
“…it is very disappointing and heartbreaking that I have been silenced,” Anaya told PTI in an interview.
“I knew that the transition would make me take a step away from cricket… I hope the BCCI is open to it and will try to make a policy around the issue because I am the first case in India.
“I would love to be a part of the team and provide my insights and encounters throughout my journey and provide what would work best for our country and women’s sport in the future,”
Cricket Australia’s Transgender and Gender Diverse Guidelines provide a framework for participation in community cricket. Bangar has been allowed to compete at community level, while any transition to elite cricket remains subject to the governing body’s eligibility requirements.
The opportunity doesn’t guarantee Bangara a spot in the professional team or the Women’s Big Bash League, but it does restored the path to competitive cricket after fearing her transition ended her playing career.
A PATH SHE FOUND ‘VERY ISOLATED’
Anaya said she has experienced a roller coaster ride since the beginning of her transition, with the experience of being a transgender athlete making the journey especially challenging.
“…when you’re transitioning, and when you’re a trans athlete, it can be very isolating during this political climate in this world. You feel very alone, you feel like there’s no one out there who really understands,” she said.
“Everybody out there is trying to offer you a solution when you know your case is the right one. You know what’s happening to you is an injustice. So through it all, just being myself has helped me a lot through it all.”
Bangar also revealed this she almost gave up on playing cricket again after starting her transition. She said she has largely dealt with the emotional side of the journey alone, while remaining grateful to her family for providing the practical support she needed.
Anaya said she had been in “survival mode” for a long time and was only now finding space to process everything she had experienced.
Her immediate goal is to play club cricket in Australia, perform well and potentially get a chance to be selected for the Women’s Big Bash League. For now, she wants to take things one step at a time, with the biggest hurdle she’s already overcome being securing a place to play.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
28 Aug 2026 21:30 IST