“Cricketers sent me nude photos of themselves”—Anaya Bangar, Sanjay Bangar’s daughter’s stunning exposé

Anaya Bangar, daughter of former Indian cricketer and coach Sanjay Bangar, recently shared her experiences of facing harassment from fellow players following her transition from male to female.

Last year, she publicly spoke for the first time about her journey, which involved hormone replacement therapy and gender-affirming surgery.

Previously known as Aryan, Anaya had pursued age-group cricket, following in her father's footsteps. However, she admitted that continuing her cricket career after transitioning posed substantial challenges.

In an interview with Lallantop, Anaya was asked, "When do you get to realize that 'I am in the wrong chosen gender?'"

"For me, it was when I was eight or nine years old. I used to pick clothes from my mom's cupboard and wear them. Then, I used to look into the mirror and say, 'I am a girl. I want to be a girl,” she responded.

Reflecting on her cricketing journey, Anaya said, "I played with some well-known cricketers now, like Musheer Khan, Sarfaraz Khan, and Yashasvi Jaiswal. I had to maintain secrecy about myself because my dad is a well-known figure. The cricket world is filled with insecurity and toxic masculinity."

Anaya Bangar reveals she got nude photos from some cricketers after she transitioned from male to female

She was also questioned about the reactions of other cricket players to her gender-affirming operation. She disclosed that while she was being harassed, some cricket players sent her naked pictures.

"There has been support, and there has been some harassment as well. There have been a few cricketers who randomly sent me nude pictures of themselves.

The person used to give gaalis in front of everybody. The same person would then come and sit beside me and ask for my photos. There was another instance when I was in India. I told a puraane (veteran) cricketer about my situation. He told me, Let's go in the car; I want to sleep with you,” she shared.

Like her father, Sanjay Bangar, who represented India in 12 Tests and 15 ODIs between 2001 and 2004, Anaya also pursued cricket. She played for Islam Gymkhana in local club matches and represented Hinckley Cricket Club in Leicestershire.

However, in November 2023, the International Cricket Council (ICC) implemented a new policy restricting transgender athletes from competing in women's international cricket.

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