Who is Anaya Bangar? Full story of Sanjay Bangar’s daughter and her transition

Anaya Bangar, a former age-group cricketer, is the daughter of Sanjay Bangar, batting coach. For years Anaya lived in the shadow of a different identity. Assigned male at birth and previously known as Aryan, she grew up navigating not just the expectations attached to her surname, but the far heavier burden of a self that didn’t align with the world’s assumptions.

Sanjay Bangar’s daughter Anaya Bangar shares transition journey and cricket struggles

Before her transition, Anaya was deeply embedded in cricketing circuits. She played at the junior level, including stints in Mumbai’s competitive age-group structure which is no small feat in a city that treats cricket as both art form and blood sport. By most accounts, she had the discipline, access, and pedigree to push further.

Her transition began publicly around three years ago in 2023. Hormone replacement therapy was the beginning of what she has described as a “second puberty”. Anaya experienced muscle mass changes, energy fluctuations, and identity affirmation all at once. And in 2026, she underwent gender-affirming surgery in Thailand, a milestone she chose to share openly.

She has also been candid about the cost of that honesty. Anaya has spoken out about harassment within cricketing spaces, unsolicited messages, and the psychological toll of living what she once described as a “double life.”

Sanjay Bangar’s response, by Anaya’s own account, evolved over time. There was initial difficulty from his side, but now unconditionally supports his daughter. Acceptance is a process, and it is very important to remember that.

After her transition, Anaya's cricketing prospects have narrowed down sharply, not because of skill, but because of the sport’s regulatory framework around transgender athletes. The conversation turns to fairness, inclusion, biology and identity. Anaya has stepped directly into that debate, advocating for more nuanced, humane pathways for trans athletes in cricket.

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