Former England cricketer and coach Graham Thorpe has passed away at the age of 55. Renowned for his illustrious career, Thorpe played 100 Test matches and 82 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) for England. His passing has elicited heartfelt tributes from cricket legends including Ben Stokes, Michael Vaughan, Anil Kumble, and Shaun Udal. Thorpe also made significant contributions as a coach, notably helping England secure the 2019 ODI World Cup victory.
Tributes from Cricket Legends
Michael Vaughan: “RIP Thorpey .. Thanks for all the advice throughout my career, you were a great player and a brilliant teammate. You have gone far too young but you leave as an England cricket legend. Thoughts with all who knew Thorpey and to all the family xxx,” wrote Vaughan, the former England captain, on ‘X’.
RIP Thorpey .. Thanks for all the advice throughout my career,you were a great player and a brilliant team https://t.co/QPFq55nPCd have gone far too young but you leave as an England cricket legend … Thoughts with all who knew Thorpey and to all the family xxx
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) August 5, 2024
Ben Stokes: Current England Test captain Ben Stokes shared a picture of himself wearing a jersey with “Thorpe 564”, Thorpe’s Test cap number, on the back, accompanied by a series of five red heart emojis.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/NeaX5dDwzg
— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) August 5, 2024
Messages from Fellow Cricketers
Ben Duckett: “Heartbreaking to see Thorpey has passed away. He was one of my heroes growing up and I was fortunate to work with him. My thoughts go out to all of his friends and family during this tough time,” wrote Duckett, the current England opener, on ‘X’.
Heartbreaking to see Thorpey has passed away. He was one of my heroes growing up and I was fortunate to work with him. My thoughts go out to all of his friends and family during this tough time 😔💔 pic.twitter.com/9I4jXt7XpL
— Ben Duckett (@BenDuckett1) August 5, 2024
Anil Kumble: “Sad to hear about Graham Thorpe. He was a gritty and fantastic batter who was always ready for a battle on the pitch. Heartfelt condolences to his friends and family,” wrote former India leg-spinner Anil Kumble 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
Shaun Udal: “Such tragic news about Graham Thorpe, played with and against the little legend since the age of 10, great player and human being, so young, thoughts with his family and friends,” wrote former England spinner Shaun Udal on ‘X’.
Such tragic news about Graham Thorpe, played with and against the little legend since the age of 10, great player and human being, so young, thoughts with his family and friends x
— Shaun Udal (@shaggyudal) August 5, 2024
Thorpe’s Remarkable Career and Legacy
From 1993 to 2005, Thorpe participated in 100 Test matches for England, amassing 6,744 runs with an average of 44.66., including 16 centuries. He also represented Surrey in the domestic circuit and played 82 ODIs for England, amassing 2,380 runs at an average of 37.18, with 21 half-centuries.
Thorpe’s coaching career began in Australia with the New South Wales team, later becoming a national lead batting coach for the ECB. He was instrumental in England’s 2019 ODI World Cup win. Despite being named Afghanistan’s head coach in March 2022, his health prevented him from taking up the role. Tributes from fellow cricketers, like Anil Kumble and Shaun Udal, emphasize Thorpe’s impact both on and off the field.
