Anaya Bangar lashes out at the BCCI [Source: IG, AFP]Anaya Bangar expressed her disappointment with the BCCI after they ignored her plea for guidance on transgender participation in women's cricket. She underwent a gender affirming surgery in 2026 after spending most of her life as a biological male. Since then, Anaya has been fighting for transgender athletes' rights, arguing that she should be allowed to participate in women’s cricket.Anaya Bangar lashes out at BCCI’s ignoranceHaving said that, Anaya Bangar, a left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder, apparently approached the BCCI after her gender affirming surgery to seek information on the board's policy framework for transgender cricketers.However, according to Anaya, she was met with silence as the BCCI didn’t respond to her plea, leaving her heartbroken and disappointed. She feared transitioning might mean giving up cricket altogether. "It is very disappointing and heartbreaking that I was served with silence. I knew that transitioning was going to make me steer away from cricket. I hope that the BCCI is open to this and tries to form policies surrounding this topic, since my case is a first in India,” Bangar told the PTI.Not only that, Anaya urged the BCCI to be more open and revise their policies for transgender athletes to make the sport more inclusive."I would be happy to be a part of the team and provide my insights and learnings throughout my whole journey and what would work best for our country and women's sport in the future," she added."When you're transitioning, and when you're a trans-athlete, during this political climate in this world, it can get very isolating. You feel very lonely, you feel like there's no one who really understands out there," she said.Watch Anaya Bangar's interview here: Press Trust of India @PTI_News VIDEO | Delhi: Trans-athlete Anaya Bangar, a left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder and daughter of former India player and decorated coach Sanjay Bangar, says she was heartbroken after being 'served with silence' by the BCCI when she first approached the Board for assistance in Aug 28, 2026, 7:51 PM Also Read - Anaya Bangar Not Alone: List Of Transgender Cricketers In Women's TeamDoes BCCI have policy on transgender representation?It is important to note that, at present, the BCCI does not have a standard transgender-participation policy. They’ve not formally banned transgender women from domestic cricket.Rather, there is currently no established framework through which eligibility can be assessed. But as per ICC rules, a transgender player who has experienced any part of male puberty beyond the specified threshold cannot participate in international women's cricket.This is regardless of whether they have undergone surgery or gender reassignment treatment. Hence, it's quite possible that BCCI is perhaps following the ICC’s framework for now. Cricket Australia comes to Anaya Bangar's rescueMeanwhile, after not receiving a response from the BCCI, Anaya Bangar approached Cricket Australia in June 2026. The Australian board assessed her case in considerably more detail.They checked her testosterone reports, surgery history and athletic testing data during hormone therapy. Following that assessment, Cricket Australia cleared her to play community cricket in Australia. Anaya Bangar is eligible to play professional cricket in Australia from March 2027, but her eligibility will continue to depend on meeting the policy's requirements, including maintaining serum testosterone below 10 nmol/L for at least 12 months and providing the necessary medical evidence.Also Read - BCCI In Panic Mode For India Squad vs Australia, Scheduling Error Changes Everything
