Graham Thorpe, a former England batsman and coach, died at the age of 55, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed on Monday.

Thorpe won 100 Test caps for England from 1993 to 2005, scoring 16 hundreds and being regarded as one of the best batsmen of his time.

He scored 6,744 Test runs for England, averaging 44.66, and participated in 82 one-day internationals.

In addition to his international career, he spent 17 years with Surrey County Cricket Club.

He retired in 2005 and went into coaching, serving with the England international teams in various capacities between 2010 and 2022.

“There appear to be no appropriate words to describe the profound shock we feel at Graham’s death,” the ECB stated in a statement.

“More than one of England’s greatest batters, he was a beloved part of the cricket family and a hero to fans around the world.

“His talent was undeniable, and his abilities and accomplishments over a 13-year international career brought great joy to his teammates as well as England and Surrey CCC fans.

“Later, as a coach, he guided the best England men’s talent to some incredible victories across all formats of the game.”

Thorpe left England after losing to Australia in the 2021-2022 Ashes series to become the head coach of Afghanistan.

Thorpe was gravely ill with an uncertain diagnosis, according to the Professional Cricketers’ Association, who confirmed this in May.