England players wear white headbands in tribute to Graham Thorpe – here’s why?

The second day of the fifth Test between England and India at The Oval was a very emotional moment, as the cricket family came together to celebrate Graham Thorpe on what would have been his 56th birthday. The day, called 'A Day for Thorpey', was in honour of the former England and Surrey batter, but also in support of the mental health charity Mind.

Thorpe died by suicide on August 4 last year, after suffering from depression and anxiety for many years. He played 100 Tests for England, scoring 6,744 runs, at an average of 44.66, in a career that was noted for his elegant strokeplay and middle-order solidity. He later took on coaching roles with Surrey, England, and eventually Afghanistan. After losing his England coaching role in the 2021–22 Ashes, Thorpe's mental health deteriorated rapidly.

Tributes, Headbands and Hope: Honouring Graham Thorpe at The Oval

Fans, players, and former teammates paid tribute at The Oval. Spectators wore specially designed headbands – a nod to Thorpe’s playing days – sold for £5 to raise money for Mind. Proceeds will go towards a new initiative named ‘Thorpey’s Bat and Chat’, which will combine cricket with mental health support across the UK.

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The tributes by his wife, Amanda, and daughters, Kitty and Emma, who courageously shared their pain with the hope of dispelling the stigma surrounding mental health and suicide, revealed their desire "to honor and celebrate him and his memory, his light was so very bright," told the BBC.

Kitty disclosed that Thorpe's condition worsened with time, explaining: "He got worse and worse, until he couldn't even get out of bed. What was a mental illness got worse, until it became a physical illness." Now, there is a mural at The Oval commemorating a cricketer who gave so much to English cricket. Joe Root also dedicated his 33rd Test century to his former mentor and explained how Thorpe impacted him as a person and player.

Graham Thorpe is no longer with us, but he will live on not just in English cricket but through an increasing movement to support mental health and encourage difficult but vital conversations.