Aryan Bangar to Anaya Bangar; former cricketer and coach Sanjay Bangar's child shares gender transition journey to become transwoman

NEW DELHI: Aryan Bangar, son of former Indian cricketer and coach Sanjay Bangar, has undergone hormonal replacement therapy and gender-reaffirming surgery. Aryan, who became a woman, took the name Anaya Bangar. The 23-year-old Anaya posted a video on Instagram of her undergoing hormonal replacement therapy and her transformation. Anaya shared footage of the events that have taken place over the past 10 months. The video also featured pictures with MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli.

“From a young age, cricket has always been a part of my life. Growing up, I watched my dad with awe as he represented and coached the country, and it wasn’t long before I started dreaming about following in his footsteps. The passion, the discipline, and the dedication he showed to the sport were deeply inspiring to me. Cricket became my love, my ambition, and my future. I’ve spent my entire life honing my skills, hoping that one day, I would get the chance to represent my country, just like him.

“I never thought I’d have to consider giving up the sport that has been my passion, my love, and my escape. But here I am, facing a painful reality. As a trans woman on hormone replacement therapy (HRT), my body has changed drastically. I’ve been losing the muscle mass, strength, muscle memory, and athletic abilities I once relied on. The game I’ve loved for so long is slipping away from me,” Anaya wrote in her post.

Anaya had earlier taken to social media to say that she is quitting cricket with pain as those in the trans-women category are banned from cricket. Anaya, who currently lives in Manchester, England, has played for local cricket club Islam Gymkhana. She has also played for The Hinckley Cricket Club in Leicestershire.