Aryan to Anaya: Sanjay Bangar’s child shares hormonal transformation journey, reveals love for cricket

Cricket has always been a constant in Anaya’s life. The child of former Indian all-rounder Sanjay Bangar, Anaya recently gained attention after sharing her journey through hormonal transformation on social media. Assigned male at birth as Aryan, Anaya began Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) in 2023 and has been steadily embracing her new identity as a transgender woman.

Anaya, currently playing cricket in the United Kingdom, posted a video offering a glimpse into her complex and emotional journey. The widely shared clip includes childhood photos of Anaya posing with prominent cricketers like Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, and her father, capturing her growth into a transgender woman who continues to pursue her passion for cricket.

In her latest Instagram post, Anaya described how, after 11 months of HRT, she has managed to reduce dysphoria and find greater happiness.

Anaya’s journey began with a profound connection to cricket, a sport deeply embedded in her life since childhood. Watching her father represent and coach the Indian cricket team filled her with admiration and a desire to follow in his footsteps. Cricket was more than a passion; it was an ambition and a future she had meticulously envisioned. However, her path took an unexpected turn as she began her transition to becoming a transgender woman.

In an August 2023 Instagram post, Anaya spoke about the transformative impact HRT has had on her life and cricket career. She described cricket as her “love, ambition, and future,” yet acknowledged how the physical changes from HRT—such as decreased muscle mass and strength—have significantly impacted her athletic abilities, making it challenging to play the sport at the same level.

Her post illuminated the emotional and physical challenges she faces as a transgender woman in the cricket world.

“What hurts more is that there are no proper regulations for trans women in cricket. It feels like the system is pushing me out, not due to a lack of drive or talent, but because the rules haven’t adapted to the reality of who I am. My testosterone levels are down to 0.5 nmol, the lowest for an average cisgender woman. Despite this, I still have no place to represent my country or play at a professional level as my authentic self,” she wrote.

“To make matters worse, the system requires that I should have transitioned before male puberty to compete in women’s sports. But there’s a contradiction: society and the law make it illegal to transition as a minor. So, what am I supposed to do? The system has put me in an impossible position, with standards I couldn’t have met even if I’d wanted to. It’s heartbreaking that the body I’ve worked so hard to align with my true self is now seen as an obstacle to my cricketing journey in the women’s category.”

“We need policies that don’t force us to choose between our identity and our passions. Trans women deserve the right to compete, play, and thrive,” Anaya added.

Anaya’s revelations come at a significant time, following recent regulatory changes for transgender women instituted by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has extended these regulations to elite-level cricket, effectively banning transgender women from international and elite domestic competitions in Tiers 1 and 2 of women’s cricket.