Naturally right-handed, when he was six years old Graham Thorpe changed his stance to make it harder for his two elder brothers to get him out and because the boundary in his garden was shorter on the leg-side for a left-hander.
19 Facts About Graham Thorpe
2.
Graham Thorpe made his debut for Surrey in 1988, and his international debut in 1993.
3.
Graham Thorpe scored a century in the second innings of his debut Test match, against Australia at Trent Bridge.
4.
Graham Thorpe hit only one four in his hundred against Pakistan at Lahore in November 2000.
5.
Graham Thorpe hit another boundary before being dismissed for 118 from 301 balls.
6.
However, Graham Thorpe was a highly capable stroke-maker: during his highest Test score, 200 not out off 231 balls against New Zealand at Christchurch in 2002, he and Andrew Flintoff compiled a partnership of 281 in 51 overs.
7.
Graham Thorpe scored 124 as England won the match to force an unlikely series draw, and remained in the side for series victories against Bangladesh away and at home, against the West Indies away and at home, against New Zealand at home, and in South Africa.
8.
Graham Thorpe played his hundredth and final Test against Bangladesh in June 2005; in the two years between his comeback and his retirement he scored 1635 Test runs at an average of 56.37.
9.
Graham Thorpe witnessed both of Brian Lara's marathon innings of 375 in 1994 and 400* in 2004.
10.
Graham Thorpe announced his retirement from Test cricket after the England selectors chose Kevin Pietersen instead of him for the first Test of The Ashes in July 2005.
11.
Graham Thorpe played another two months with Surrey before following up his test retirement with his retirement from domestic cricket in August 2005.
12.
Graham Thorpe was named as assistant coach of New South Wales in 2007 replacing Matthew Mott who was promoted to the position of coach.
13.
Graham Thorpe was created a Member of the Order of the British Empire on 17 June 2006.
14.
Graham Thorpe made his debut as a summariser for BBC Radio's Test Match Special programme during the first Test of India's 2007 tour of England.
15.
Graham Thorpe appeared as a match summariser on Sky Sports' highlights coverage for the same series.
16.
Graham Thorpe wrote a monthly column for the UK-based cricket magazine, SPIN World Cricket Monthly.
17.
Graham Thorpe was involved as batting coach for the England team between 2010 and 2022.
18.
In March 2022, Graham Thorpe was made head coach of Afghanistan.
19.
In May 2022, it was revealed that Graham Thorpe had been hospitalised for a "serious illness" with an "unclear prognosis".