Former England wicketkeeper-batter Alec Stewart recently opened up about his final interactions with close friend and longtime teammate Graham Thorpe before his untimely death. Thorpe, who played 100 Tests for England between 1993 and 2005, tragically passed away in August after being struck by a train at Esher railway station in Surrey. An inquest later revealed that Thorpe had been battling severe depression for years, which led to his decision to take his own life.

In an emotional interview with The Telegraph, Stewart shared details of his final communication with Thorpe. The two had been teammates for England and Surrey during the 1990s and early 2000s. However, in the months leading up to his death, Thorpe stopped responding to Stewart’s messages, a clear indication of the mental struggles he was facing.

"The last time I spoke to him in person was early March, because he just stopped responding. After that, you’d leave messages, whether it’s voice messages or WhatsApp messages. You’d see he’d read them, but that shows how dark a place he was in," Stewart explained. "So many people tried to help and reach out, it comes to that individual having to help himself."

Stewart added, "As a player, we know what a fighter he was – brilliant player, brilliant person – but when you get in this dark place, it’s a horrible place to be. We’re all very sad and upset that we’ve lost a great person, but wherever he is now, he’s got to be happier because he wasn’t happy here."

Thorpe was widely regarded as one of England’s finest batsmen, amassing 6,744 runs in 100 Tests, including 16 centuries. He also represented his country in 82 one-day internationals. His untimely death has left the cricketing world in mourning, with many remembering him for his contributions to the game and his tenacity on the field.