Former Mumbai Under-19 cricketer Anaya Bangar has received clearance from Cricket Australia to participate in women’s Community Cricket, marking an important step in her return to competitive cricket.
Bangar, who underwent gender-affirming surgery in March 2026, said the decision was particularly meaningful after a period in which she feared she might never be able to play the sport again.
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“It is a great day for me, especially after knowing the fact that I can play cricket,” Bangar told The Indian Express. She said there had been a point when she believed her cricketing career was over, but Cricket Australia’s decision had given her another opportunity to return to the game.
The clearance will allow Bangar to travel to Australia and participate in community-level women’s cricket. However, the decision does not automatically make her eligible for elite competitions.
Different rules for community and elite cricket
Bangar would still have to satisfy Cricket Australia’s testosterone-related eligibility requirements if she wants to progress to Elite Cricket, which includes competitions such as the Women’s Big Bash League.
This distinction is significant because international and domestic governing bodies have different regulations concerning the participation of transgender athletes in elite women’s sport.
According to the report, the International Cricket Council (ICC) currently does not permit transgender women who have gone through male puberty to participate in its elite women’s international competitions. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), meanwhile, does not currently have a specific policy governing transgender participation.
As a result, Bangar’s clearance in Australia represents an opportunity to continue playing while leaving open questions about what pathways may be available to her at higher levels of the sport.
A return to cricket
Bangar has a strong cricketing background. She previously represented Mumbai at the Under-19 level and played alongside cricketers including Sarfaraz Khan and his brother Musheer Khan.
Her father, Sanjay Bangar, is a former India all-rounder who also served as the batting coach of the Indian men’s cricket team. Anaya therefore comes from a family with a significant connection to Indian cricket.
Her return to the field is likely to attract attention because it comes at the intersection of elite sport, inclusion and evolving eligibility regulations.
For Bangar, however, the immediate priority appears to be much simpler: playing cricket again.
The Community Cricket clearance gives her the chance to rebuild her sporting career in Australia, even though participation at the elite level remains subject to additional eligibility requirements.
Expert perspective
From a sporting-policy perspective, Bangar’s case highlights the difference between access to grassroots or community sport and eligibility for elite competition. Community cricket can provide athletes with an opportunity to remain connected to the game, while elite competitions may operate under more restrictive physiological and eligibility criteria.
The broader debate is likely to continue as cricket authorities balance inclusion, competitive fairness and the development of consistent policies for transgender participation.
For Bangar, the immediate significance is personal: after uncertainty about whether she could play again, she now has a pathway back onto the cricket field.
