Former England and Surrey batter Graham Thorpe died aged 55 after battling a ‘serious illness’ since 2022, the country's cricket board announced on Monday. 

Considered one of the finest batters of his generation, Thorpe was hospitalized shortly after being named the head coach of Afghanistan in 2022 but the details of his medical condition are not known. 

He is survived by his wife Amanda and four children, Henry, Amelia, Kitty and Emma. “It is with great sadness that the ECB shares the news that Graham Thorpe, MBE, has passed away,” ECB said in a statement, without giving the exact cause of his death.