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Who Is Anaya Bangar? Ex-Player's Daughter Exposing Sexual Harassment In Cricket

Jatin

Anaya Bangar [Source: @TrendSpotlght/x.com, @anayabangar/instagram.com]Anaya Bangar [Source: @TrendSpotlght/x.com, @anayabangar/instagram.com]

Former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar’s daughter, Anaya Bangar has opened up about her gender transition, her life as a trans woman and the dark side of the cricketing circle most fans never get to see. In a no-holds-barred interview with The Lallantop, Anaya didn't sugarcoat anything.

From facing harassment by known faces in cricket to dealing with toxic masculinity, she bared it all. And in doing so, she has found herself not just in the headlines, but in the hearts of many.

Who is Anaya Bangar?

Born as Aryan Bangar, she always felt something was off.

“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 shared.

Her path to self-acceptance took her overseas. She moved to the UK to begin her gender transition and later returned to India for hormone therapy. But the challenges didn’t end there.

Harassment In Cricket Circles

You’d think the dressing room would be a safe space. For Anaya, it was anything but.

“I played with some well-known cricketers now, like Musheer Khan, Sarfaraz Khan, and Yashasvi Jaiswal. I had to maintain secrecy about myself because Dad is a well-known figure,” she said.

What followed was even more disturbing.

“There have been a few cricketers who randomly sent me nude pictures of them. A few would hurl gaalis in public, then slide up next to me later asking for photos. One vold cricketer even said, ‘let's go in your car, I want to sleep with you.”

Dealing With Toxic Masculinity

“The cricket world is full of insecurity and toxic masculinity,” Anaya said, hitting the nail on the head.

 She talked about the constant pressure to hide who she was, to play the ‘ideal male teammate’ while fighting an internal battle of identity.

At 23, Anaya Bangar isn’t just Sanjay Bangar’s daughter. She’s a cricketer, a content creator and a loud, unapologetic voice for India’s LGBTQ+ community.

She has played club cricket in India and the UK, turning out for Islam Gymkhana and Hinckley CC in Leicestershire. She now lives in Manchester, where she continues to live life on her terms and shares her story on Instagram.

Sanjay Bangar Stays Away From Limelight

While Anaya's journey is unfolding online, her father Sanjay Bangar has kept a low profile in the matter. A solid domestic player turned coach, Sanjay played 12 Tests and 15 ODIs for India. He’s scored 8000+ runs and taken 300+ wickets in First-Class cricket.

He has coached RCB, Punjab Kings and even served as India’s batting coach. Currently, he is part of the IPL 2025 commentary panel.