SHOCKING! Former England Batter Graham Thorpe Dies At The Age Of 55, ECB And Anil Kumble Among Those Who Offer Condolences

Former England batter Graham Thorpe, who celebrated his 55th birthday just a few days back on August 1, died at the age of 55. The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced the shocking news on social media platform ‘X’ on Tuesday (August 5).

“It is with great sadness that we share the news that Graham Thorpe, MBE, has passed away. There seem to be no appropriate words to describe the deep shock we feel at Graham’s death,” the ECB statement read.

It is with great sadness that we share the news that Graham Thorpe, MBE, has passed away.

There seem to be no appropriate words to describe the deep shock we feel at Graham's death. pic.twitter.com/VMXqxVJJCh

— England and Wales Cricket Board (@ECB_cricket) August 5, 2024

Thorpe turned out in 100 Tests and 82 ODIs in his international career spanning 12 years. The Surrey and England left-handed batter notched up 6,744 runs at an average of 44.66 with 16 Test tons and 39 fifties. In ODI cricket, Thorpe scored 2,380 runs at an average of 37.18 with 21 fifties to his name.

Former India captain and head coach Anil Kumble also offered his condolences after hearing about the death of Thorpe. “Sad to hear about Graham Thorpe. He was a  gritty and a fantastic batter who was always ready for a battle on the pitch. Heartfelt condolences to his friends and family,” Kumble wrote on ‘X’.

Sad to hear about Graham Thorpe. He was a gritty and a fantastic batter who was always ready for a battle on the pitch. Heartfelt condolences to his friends and family.

— Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) August 5, 2024

The former England southpaw was set to join as the Afghanistan head coach but was taken ‘seriously ill’ in 2022. “More than one of England’s finest-ever batters, he was a beloved member of the cricket family and revered by fans all over the world. His skill was unquestioned, and his abilities and achievements across a 13-year international career brought so much happiness to his teammates and England and Surrey CCC supporters alike. Later, as a coach, he guided the best England Men’s talent to some incredible victories across all formats of the game,” the ECB statement read.

“The cricket world is in mourning today. Our hearts go out to his wife Amanda, his children, father Geoff, and all of his family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time. We will always remember Graham for his extraordinary contributions to the sport.,” the statement added.

Thorpe had joined the ECB setup in 2010 as batting coach worked as assistant coach to Chris Silverwood with England men’s team. He was among a number of the team management to depart in the wake of the 2021-22 Ashes. After Thorpe was hospitalised in May, England’s newly-appointed Test captain Ben Stokes wore a shirt with Thorpe’s name and England cap number on the back for the toss at his first match in charge, against New Zealand at Lord’s.