Anaya Bangar, who previously represented Mumbai at age-group level, has received confirmation from Cricket Australia that she can pursue women’s cricket in Australia, opening a potential route towards the elite domestic game from March 2027. The decision follows an individual eligibility assessment and gives the cricketer an opportunity to resume competitive cricket after stepping away from the sport.
Bangar, the daughter of former Indian cricketer and coach Sanjay Bangar, has been working towards a return to the game after her transition. She underwent gender-affirming surgery in March 2026 and subsequently approached Cricket Australia after seeking clarity from Indian cricket authorities about opportunities to compete in women’s domestic cricket.
Cricket Australia’s assessment considered medical information supplied by Bangar, including details relating to testosterone suppression and her surgery. The governing body confirmed in August that amendments to its transgender and gender-diverse player policy would not alter the eligibility determination already made in her case.
The decision, however, does not amount to an automatic place in an elite team. Under the applicable Cricket Australia requirements, eligibility for the female category at elite level remains subject to ongoing conditions, including maintaining a serum testosterone concentration below 10 nanomoles per litre for at least 12 consecutive months. A further blood test will also be required when Bangar returns to Australia.
In the meantime, Bangar has a pathway into Premier Cricket, which is classified as community cricket under the Australian framework. That provides an opportunity to rebuild her match fitness, regain competitive rhythm and demonstrate her abilities before pursuing opportunities at the highest domestic level.
The potential destination attracting particular attention is the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL). Cricket Australia’s classification places the WBBL within elite cricket, meaning Bangar could potentially pursue the competition once she satisfies the relevant eligibility requirements. Any opportunity would still depend on performance and selection rather than eligibility alone.
Bangar has acknowledged that returning to competitive cricket will require substantial work. Her immediate plans include rebuilding her fitness and developing her batting, bowling and fielding before attempting to earn recognition from an Australian franchise. The WBBL also operates an overseas-player contracting and draft system, meaning eligibility would not itself guarantee selection.
Her cricket background dates back to her youth in Mumbai, where she played age-group cricket alongside players who later established themselves in Indian cricket. Her return therefore represents not simply a move into a new competition but an attempt to resume a sporting career that she had previously feared was over.
Bangar’s case also sits within a wider international debate about transgender participation in elite sport. Cricket Australia has its own eligibility framework, while the International Cricket Council has adopted different rules for international women’s cricket. The distinction means Bangar’s Australian pathway should not be interpreted as automatic eligibility for international women’s cricket elsewhere.
For Bangar, the next stage will be about returning to the field and proving herself through performance. Cricket Australia’s decision provides a pathway, but the competitive challenge remains ahead: maintaining the required eligibility standards, rebuilding as a cricketer and earning an opportunity at elite level. Her stated ambition is to use that pathway to work towards the WBBL from 2027.
