Explained: Why England players are wearing white headbands on day 2 of The Oval test against India

The England players were seen wearing white headbands on the field as well.

On the second day of the ongoing fifth and final test match between England and India at The Oval, players and supporters were spotted sporting white headbands. Joe Root, the former captain of England, was spotted wearing the headband in a heartfelt gesture while fielding at the slips sans his national team cap.

On August 1, the 56th birthday of former England batter Graham Thorpe, this was done in his honor. The former Surrey and England batter, Thrope, lost his battle with anxiety and despair and committed suicide last year.

The tragedy happened after a challenging time marked by health problems and mental health challenges, especially during the Covid-affected 2021–22 Ashes trip, when he was a member of England’s coaching staff.

His wife, Amanda Thorpe, reflected on the toll the Covid-era restrictions had on him: “Working in the Covid bubbles, he found that tough. He wasn’t great at following rules at the best of times. It was all very stressful, and he wasn’t great on that trip.”

Thorpe played 100 tests, scoring 6744 runs with 16 centuries at an average of 44.66 and a best score of 200*. He also played 82 ODIs with 2380 runs and a best of 89 with 21 fifties to his name in his England career from 1993 to 2005.

Why are England players and officials wearing white headbands?

The white headbands pay homage to Thorpe’s signature appearance, which was made famous when he took off his helmet after hitting a century. Day 2 at The Oval has been designated as “A Day for Thorpey” in remembrance of Thorpe on August 1.

The headbands, created by his wife and children, Kitty and Emma, are being sold during the event to generate money for the charity Mind, which supports mental health.

The money raised will go towards “Thorpey’s Bat and Chat,” a program that uses cricket to encourage mental health. It seeks to establish a secure environment where people with mental health issues can interact, communicate, and play the game.

“My dad was quite a private person, so for us to share his and our experience is important to help other people who have gone through similar things. To start a conversation, to reduce the shame and stigma that are around these conversations,” Emma Thorpe said, as per Wisden.

Following his playing days, he turned to coaching, serving with both Surrey and the ECB, before being appointed head coach of Afghanistan, a position he never assumed due to his deteriorating health.

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