Anaya Bangar has urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to consider following Cricket Australia’s approach to transgender participation in women’s cricket after receiving clearance to pursue the game in Australia.
The 25-year-old, daughter of former India cricketer and coach Sanjay Bangar, hopes the decision will help create a pathway for transgender players who want to continue their cricket careers. She previously approached the BCCI seeking clarity on eligibility rules for women’s cricket in India but says she has yet to receive a response.
“If BCCI can follow what Australia has done, that would be a wonderful thing,” Anaya told Hindustan Times.
Cricket Australia Gives Anaya a Pathway Back
Cricket Australia approved Anaya’s participation in community-level women’s cricket and set out conditions for her eligibility to compete in elite women’s competitions.
Under the determination, she can participate in Australian Premier Cricket, classified as community cricket, while her eligibility for elite competitions will depend on meeting the governing body’s requirements.
Cricket Australia’s policy requires eligible players in the female category of elite cricket to maintain serum testosterone levels below 10 nanomoles per litre for at least 12 months. Anaya will need to provide a blood test confirming that she continues to meet the requirements before becoming eligible for elite cricket from March 2027.
The approval creates a potential pathway towards the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), although it does not guarantee a contract or selection by a team.
BCCI Yet to Respond to Her Request
Anaya previously contacted the BCCI to seek clarification on whether transgender athletes could compete in women’s domestic cricket in India. She has said that she did not receive a response.
The BCCI has not established a specific policy for such cases, according to earlier media reports. The issue also differs from international cricket, where the International Cricket Council’s eligibility regulations do not permit transgender women who have undergone male puberty to compete in elite international women’s cricket.
Cricket Australia’s decision applies under its own domestic eligibility framework and does not automatically change the rules followed by the BCCI or the ICC.
Anaya Targets a Return to Competitive Cricket
Anaya has described Cricket Australia’s decision as an important opportunity to resume a sport she feared she might never play competitively again.
Her immediate focus is on returning to training, rebuilding her competitive form and finding opportunities in Australia. Any move into elite domestic cricket will depend on satisfying the applicable eligibility requirements and earning selection through performance.
She hopes the Australian decision will encourage further discussion about eligibility policies in India and provide greater clarity for transgender athletes seeking to participate in the sport.
For now, Anaya’s next steps are focused on her return to cricket in Australia, while the question of her eligibility for women’s cricket under Indian domestic rules remains unresolved.
