Delhi: Anaya Bangar, who hoped to be a part of the Indian women's cricket team, has recalled her days of struggle. Anaya, daughter of former Indian all-rounder Sanjay Bangar, said that when she sought help from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to move ahead in women's cricket, she did not get any clear answer. According to him, he had to face silence from the BCCI.

25-year-old Anaya is a trans athlete and an all-rounder who bowls left-arm spin.

Cricket Australia extended a helping hand

Amidst many difficulties, Anaya got an opportunity from Cricket Australia (CA), which opened the way for him to return to the game. Cricket Australia allowed him to play at 'community' level. For Anaya, this is not just an opportunity to play cricket, but also a big achievement to return to the field with his identity.

He said that as a trans athlete, in the current environment, many times one has to feel very alone. According to him, people often start giving solutions without understanding the situation, whereas the person who is going through the situation knows its reality best.

Loneliness gave me the strength to understand myself

Anaya also described loneliness as a kind of strength in her journey. He says that during this entire process he learned to live with himself. He got support from his family for important things, for which he is grateful, but at the emotional level he had to handle a lot on his own.

Gender affirming surgery done in March

Anaya's transition started in the year 2022 and she underwent gender affirming surgery in March this year. During this entire period, he had no confidence in returning to cricket. She had accepted that perhaps her relationship with sports had ended.

Now hope for a new beginning

After getting the approval from Cricket Australia, the circumstances seem to be changing for Anaya. He believes that if correct information and understanding increases among people, many misconceptions can be removed.

Anaya said that getting a way to play women's cricket is a big moment for her. Reminiscing about her journey, she said that she just kept herself in front of her and took the path that lay ahead of her. According to him, during this difficult period, he felt as if luck and circumstances finally favored him.