Graham Thorpe death: Battling depression to committing suicide - what we know so far about England cricket star's tragic end
(Trigger warning: Sensitive and disturbing details. Reader discretion is advised)
Former England and Surrey cricketer Graham Thorpe passed away on August 4 at the age of 55. He had been battling illness for the last couple of years. One of England's most accomplished batters, Thorpe represented the country in 100 Tests and 82 ODIs, scoring 6744 and 2380 runs respectively.
The late cricketer scored a famous hundred on his Test debut against Australia in Nottingham in July 1993 and was named Player of the Match as the game ended in a draw. The left-handed batter ended his Test career with 16 hundreds and 39 fifties while averaging a healthy 44.66. Although he never scored an ODI hundred, Thorpe had an impressive average of 37.18 in the 50-over format too.
The former cricketer's death was confirmed by an official statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board (EBC), which 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. 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."
While Thorpe passed away on August 4, shocking details about his tragic death have come to the fore in the last few days. Here's what we know so far.
Graham Thorpe died after being struck by a train at Esher railway station
Former England batter Thorpe passed away after being struck by a train at Esher railway station, Surrey, the opening of an inquest into his death heard on Tuesday.
A report in ESPNcricinfo quoted coroner Simon Wickens as telling Surrey Coroner's Court in Woking that Thorpe had suffered 'traumatic injuries' after being hit by a train on the morning of August 4. A full inquest into the incident will be conducted later.
The report added that the coroner had received a referral regarding the incident from British Transport Police (BTP). On August 5, a spokesperson for BTP issued an official statement, which read:
"Officers were called to Esher railway station at 8.26 am on 4 August to reports of a casualty on the tracks. Paramedics also attended, however sadly a person was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident is not being treated as suspicious and a report will be prepared for the coroner."
Post-retirement, Thorpe took to coaching and was even associated with the England team as assistant coach. He was set to take over as Afghanistan's head coach in 2022, but could not take up the post due to his illness.
Graham Thorpe took his own life: Wife Amanda
A day before the opening of the inquest into Thorpe's death, the former cricketer's wife Amanda confirmed the reason for her husband's passing away as suicide.
In a brave interview given to Thorpe's former teammate Michael Atherton in The Times, Amanda opened up on the late cricketer's mental battles.
"He was so unwell in recent times and he really did believe that we would be better off without him and we are devastated that he acted on that and took his own life," a distraught Amanda said.
In the same interview, she disclosed that Thorpe was battling major depression and anxiety and that he had attempted to take his life once before as well.
"For the past couple of years, Graham had been suffering from major depression and anxiety. This led him to make a serious attempt on his life in May 2022, which resulted in a prolonged stay in an intensive care unit," she said.
"Despite glimpses of hope and of the old Graham, he continued to suffer from depression and anxiety, which at times got very severe. We supported him as a family and he tried many, many treatments but unfortunately none of them really seemed to work," Amanda added.
She termed her husband as someone who was very mentally strong on the field and in good physical health but added that mental illness is a real disease, which can affect anyone.
In the same interview, Thorpe's elder daughter Kitty added that the cricketer had become 'withdrawn' due to his illness and was not the same person he once was.
"It was strange to see this person trapped in the body of dad," she was quoted as saying.
Kitty, however, stated that the Thorpe family is not ashamed of opening up about the cricketer's mental struggles. She added that she wants to talk, share, and raise awareness about the serious issue.
How the cricket fraternity reacted to Graham Thorpe's death
Tributes flew in thick and fast following the news of Thorpe's tragic death. Former teammates and opponents mourned the England legend in unison. Here's a compilation of some of the reactions.
“I've heard Wasim Akram describe him as the best left-hand batsman that he ever bowled to. A lot of his English teammates called him ‘the little genius’ for how good he was" - Ricky Ponting on The ICC Review
"He was our best player in the 90s. He was our most complete player. He was brave and fearless against pace. He was highly skillful against spin... Most of all, he was a fierce and unflinching competitor" - Michael Atherton to Sky Sports
"His door was always open. He said very little in team meetings, nothing, but if you wanted to chat with someone, you knocked on Thorpe's door, there would be a glass of red and an arm around you" - Nasser Hussain to Sky Sports
"It's extremely sad to learn that Graham Thorpe is no longer with us. His reputation as a naturally gifted, free-flowing batter who played fearlessly and with flair, always stood out. Sending my heartfelt condolences to his family and close ones. Rest in peace, Graham." - Sachin Tendulkar on X
“Having known Thorpey since he was a 16-year-old, I’m absolutely devastated and heartbroken to have lost my great mate. As a cricketer, his record speaks for itself and will rightly be remembered as one of Surrey and England’s finest-ever players. As a person, he was even more special," Alec Stewart on Surrey Cricket X handle
Apart from a stellar international career, Thorpe also produced impressive numbers in first-class cricket. In 341 matches, he amassed 21937 runs at an average of 45.04, with 49 hundreds and 122 half-centuries. In List A cricket, the southpaw notched up 10871 runs at an average of 39.67, with nine centuries and 80 half-centuries.