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Duckett, Brook Among ENG Players To Wear Headbands As Tribute To Graham Thorpe

Rajgeeta Yadav

England cricket team wearing [Source: @HashTagCricket/X.com]England cricket team wearing [Source: @HashTagCricket/X.com]

During Day 2 of the fifth and final Test match between England and India at The Oval, London in London, several England players like Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, along with many fans, were seen wearing white headbands.

This wasn’t just a fashion choice, it was a tribute to former England cricketer Graham Thorpe on what would have been his 56th birthday. The headbands were designed by Thorpe’s family and are being sold to raise money and awareness for mental health, with all proceeds going to the charity Mind.

The tribute event was called “A Day for Thorpey” and was held to honour Thorpe’s memory and support those facing mental health struggles, as well as their loved ones.

What Happened To Graham Thorpe?

Graham Thorpe was a much-loved English cricketer who played 100 Test matches for England and spent 17 years at Surrey. Sadly, he passed away on August 4 last year, after being hit by a train in Surrey. His family later shared that he had been struggling with depression and anxiety, and he had taken his own life.

His daughter, Kitty, remembered him fondly: “He was kind, fun, and taught me how to treat others with respect.”

Meanwhile, talking about the match, England are currently leading the series 2-1 and are aiming to win, while India is trying to level the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. On Day 1, England started strong and put India under pressure early. But Karun Nair, who stayed unbeaten on 50 runs, and Washington Sundar helped India fight back with a solid partnership.

Karun Nair, given another chance in the team, made the most of it by playing smartly, hitting bad balls for runs, and scoring his first half-century of the series. Sundar supported him well, and together they helped India end Day 1 in a decent position.

But on Day 2, things quickly went downhill. England's fast bowlers struck early, getting both Nair and Sundar out, then quickly finished off the rest of India’s batting lineup. India were all out for just 224 runs. Gus Atkinson was the standout bowler, taking 5 wickets for just 33 runs.