England Cricketers Wear White Headbands Honoring Late Graham Thorpe

England's cricket team and supporters wore white headbands during Day 2 of the fifth Test against India at The Oval to honor the late Graham Thorpe, a revered former player and coach who died by suicide in August 2024. The headbands, featuring Thorpe's initials and a silhouette of a batsman, were sold to raise funds for the mental health charity Mind, reflecting Thorpe's own struggles with major depression and anxiety. This tribute coincided with what would have been Thorpe's 56th birthday and was part of a dedicated event named "A Day for Thorpey" organized by Surrey, Thorpe's home county club. Thorpe, who played 100 Tests for England and scored 6,744 runs with an average of 44.66, was celebrated for his technical skill, calm demeanor, and significant influence as a coach on current players such as Ben Stokes and Joe Root. The gesture symbolized both remembrance and raising awareness of mental health issues within sport. On the field, England showed strong performance with contributions from players like Gus Atkinson and Zak Crawley, while India was bowled out for 224 in their first innings.