03-08-2025
Joe Root pays emotional tribute to former mentor Graham Thorpe after reaching 39th Test century
Joe Root paid tribute to the late Graham Thorpe after reaching his 39th Test century on Day 4 of the fifth Test against India.
Thorpe died on the morning of August 4, 2024, after being struck by a train at a railway station in Surrey, with a coroner ruling the death a suicide.
The inquest at Surrey Coroner's Court in Woking heard he had 'spiralled into depression ' after losing his job as a batting coach in 2022, and he had tried to take his own life on another occasion.
Root brought up his century in the 69th over of England's second innings, flicking a length delivery to deep backward square leg for two runs, as the hosts pursued a target of 374.
He celebrated by putting on a headband and pointing to the sky in tribute to his late mentor.
Root told BBC Sport afterwards: 'I wish I had it in pocket from the start of my innings, but I put it there at tea.
'He's someone that has impacted the game in this country as a player, as a coach, as a mentor as a friend.
'That gesture wasn't just from me, it was from our whole dressing room.
'It's been great to see everyone show the amount of love for him throughout this week because he's a real legend of English cricket and has done so much good for so many people whether that be on or off the field and rightly to be remembered in the right way.'
Thorpe served as Root's mentor and batting coach during the early stages of his career.
The two shared a strong relationship, with Thorpe notably playing a key role in backing Root's selection for the national team.
At the Oval on Friday, on what would have been Thorpe's 56th birthday, England paid tribute to the legendary left-hander who scored 6,744 Test runs at an average of 44.66 in 100 matches from 1993 to 2005.
The players wore headbands during the warm-up, depicting a silhouette of Thorpe and his initials. A round of applause was then conducted, with Root in particular visibly emotional.
Thorpe's widow, Amanda, and daughter, Emma, also rang the bell ahead of the second day.
