Sanjay Bangar's son, who underwent sex change operation, shares hormonal transformation journey

Sanjay Bangar's son, who underwent sex change operation, shares hormonal transformation journey (Instagram/anayabangar)

Former India all-rounder Sanjay Bangar's son Aryan took the internet by storm by his latest revelation. Bangar's son Aryan, who identifies as a "trans woman", shared a post on Instagram, highlighting the effects of hormone replacement therapy. In the post, the ex-cricketer's son, who has changed his username to Anaya, confirmed that it has been eleven months since she underwent the sex change operation.

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In another post, which was shared on August 23, Anaya spoke about her love for cricket, how the sport is "slipping away" post the operation. In the post, she also mentioned about how she drew inspiration from her father, who has represented India in 12 Tests and 15 ODIs and also served in the capacity of batting coach from 2014 to the 2018 season.

“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 though 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,” wrote Aryan (now Anaya) in her post.

She then went to describe the ordeals for trans women, who wants to pursue cricket as a career.

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What hurts more is that there are no proper regulations for trans women in cricket. It feels like the system is forcing me out, not because I lack the drive or talent, but because the rules haven't caught up with the reality of who I am. My testosterone levels are down to 0.5 nmol, the lowest it can be for an average cisgender woman. Despite this, I still don't have a place to represent my country or play at a professional level as my authentic self.

"To make matters worse, the system says that to compete in women's sports, I should have transitioned before male puberty. But here's the contradiction society and the legal system make it illegal to transition as a minor. So, what am I supposed to do? The system is forcing me into an impossible situation. Setting standards I couldn't have met even if I'd wanted to.

It's heartbreaking that the body I've worked so hard, to align with my true self is now seen as a barrier to continuing my cricket journey in the women's category," she added.

Anaya is currently based in Manchester, England. Meanwhile, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) last month announced that transgender women won't feature in the top two tiers of the new women’s domestic structure or the women’s Hundred from the 2025 season.

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