Cricketers sent me nudes: Anaya Bangar's bombshell claim post gender change

Anaya Bangar, the child of former India cricketer and ex-batting coach Sanjay Bangar, has made a shocking revelation, alleging that several cricketers harassed her by sending unsolicited nude photographs. Anaya, who has openly discussed her journey since undergoing Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) to transition genders, reflected on the challenges she has faced—not just socially, but within the cricketing fraternity itself.

In a candid conversation with India Today’s sister channel Lallantop, Anaya shed light on the difficult path she’s walked since coming out, recounting instances of both support and harassment from those within the sport.

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"There has been support and there have been some harassment as well...There have been a few cricketers who randomly sent me nude pictures of them," Anaya told Lallantop.

Anaya, formerly known as Aryan, first drew public attention when she opened up about her life after HRT and began advocating for more inclusivity within cricket. However, the latest revelations reveal a darker side of that journey, including being on the receiving end of inappropriate messages and alleged harassment from fellow cricketers during her transition period.

In the same interview, Anaya also spoke about the emotional toll of hiding her true gender identity during her time playing as Aryan. She recalled how she had to mask her identity to avoid complications, even as she shared the field with many current India stars, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan and his brother Musheer Khan.. She further alleged that the abuse wasn’t just digital or indirect—she also faced verbal harassment, including from senior and veteran players.

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"I played with some well known cricketers now like Musheer Khan, Sarfaraz Khan, Yashasvi Jaiswal. I had to maintain secrecy about myself because dad is a well known figure. Cricket world is filled with insecurity and toxic masculinity," Anaya said.

"The person used to give gaalis in front of everybody. The same person then used to come and sit beside me and ask for my photos. There was another instance, when I was in India, I told a puraane (veteran) cricketer about my situation. He told me let's go in the car, I want to sleep with you," she added.

Anaya’s story about her transition comes at an important time, as the International Cricket Council (ICC) recently changed its rules on transgender women in cricket. Following this, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) also updated its policy, now preventing transgender women from playing in international matches and top-level domestic women’s cricket in Tiers 1 and 2.

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