Thorpe, a former England batsman, passes away aged 55

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) declared on Monday that former England batsman and coach Graham Thorpe had passed away at the age of 55.

Thorpe was considered as one of the greatest batters of his period and amassed 100 Test caps between 1993 and 2005. During his remarkable England career, he scored 16 hundreds.

He played in 82 one-day internationals and amassed 6,744 Test runs for England at an average of 44.66.

In addition to his international adventures, he had a 17-year career with Surrey, his county team.

He went into coaching after retiring in 2005, serving in a variety of capacities with the England international teams from 2010 to 2022.

The European Central Bank stated in a statement, “There don’t seem to be enough words to express the profound shock we feel at Graham’s passing.”

More than just one of the best batsmen to have ever played for England, he was adored by cricket enthusiasts worldwide and regarded as a beloved part of the game.

“His skill was undeniable, and his accomplishments during a 13-year international career brought immense joy to his teammates, as well as to supporters of Surrey CCC and England.”

“Afterwards, he led the finest male players in England to some amazing triumphs in every format of the game as a coach.”

Following the 2021–2022 Ashes series loss to Australia, Thorpe resigned from his position with England to take up the post of head coach for Afghanistan.

The Professional Cricketers’ Association said in May that Thorpe had become very unwell and that the cause of his illness was unknown.