IND vs ENG, 5th Test: Here's why England players wore special headbands. Details inside

On Day 2 of the ongoing fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at The Oval, England’s players took the field wearing special headbands in memory of the late Graham Thorpe, who died by suicide last year. The headbands, co-designed with Thorpe’s family, are part of the “A Day for Thorpey” initiative, which aims to raise funds for the mental health charity Mind. The design mirrors the iconic style Thorpe sported during his playing days. Limited-edition versions are being sold to support the cause.

Thorpe, who passed away on August 4 last year at the age of 55 after a long struggle with major depression and anxiety, was one of England’s most dependable batters of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Debuting in 1993, the left-hander played 100 Tests, scoring 6,744 runs at an average of 44.66, with 16 centuries and 39 half-centuries, including a highest score of 200 not out. In ODIs, he amassed 2,380 runs at 37.18 with 21 fifties. A Surrey stalwart, Thorpe’s influence extended beyond his own career. As part of England’s coaching setup, he played a key role in developing modern stars such as England Test captain Ben Stokes and Joe Root.

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Coming to the match, earlier in the day, pacer Gus Atkinson’s five-wicket haul helped restrict India to 224 after they resumed on 204/6. England’s openers then came out firing, with Ben Duckett (43) and Zak Crawley (52*) putting on a rapid 92-run stand to seize early control. At lunch, England were 109/1, trailing by 115 runs, with Crawley and England's stand in captain Ollie Pope (12*) unbeaten. For India, Akash Deep was the lone wicket-taker in the morning session.