LONDON: Former England batsman and assistant coach Graham Thorpe is “seriously ill” in hospital, the Professional Cricketers’ Association said on Tuesday. Thorpe, 52, had accepted the job of Afghanistan head coach following his departure from the England set-up after a 4-0 defeat in the Ashes, which took place in Australia in December and January. The PCA released a statement at the request of Thorpe’s family, which read: “Graham Thorpe has recently fallen seriously ill and is currently in hospital receiving treatment. “His prognosis is unclear at this stage and we ask for privacy for him and his family at this time. Our thoughts are with Graham and his family.” The Afghanistan Cricket Board confirmed Thorpe’s appointment in March. A stylish left-handed batsman, Thorpe played 100 Test matches for England, scoring 6,744 runs at an average of 44.66 and hitting 16 centuries. He also played 82 one-day internationals. The former Surrey player coached in Australia, where he worked with players including Steve Smith and David Warner at New South Wales, before joining the England and Wales Cricket Board as a batting coach. Thorpe worked as assistant with the senior side under Trevor Bayliss and Chris Silverwood, stepping up to lead the team in the drawn Sydney Test in early January due to Silverwood’s coronavirus diagnosis.