Will Arjun annexe his second Champions Challenge Cup?

India won the Champions Challenge when this genre of competition was put on place 10 years ago. This victory at Malaysia’s capital placed India back into the elite orbit which it longed for long. After many years gap India played the Champions Trophy in 2002 at Cologne, Germany.

Only one member of that 16 goldies is still kicking around the turf – artistic Arjun Halappa.
He is playing a useful role in Randburg, the move he set up young Chengalesena to earn India’s first penalty corner – which man in need Raghunath would convert to neutralize Africa’s first lead – speaks in amble measure his solid contribution to the success and solidity of the team.

This reminds of the long mile the diminutive all rounder had traversed since made international debut the same year when India won the inaugural Champions Challenge.

He appeared on the international scene as an inside forward, often scoring lot many goals (both goals of Singapore junior Asia Cup semifinals for instance). Later he was brought into the midfield as a pivot, and now almost reverting back to play maker role as well as inside forward role.

Having won the gold in Kuala Lumpur a decade ago, he would like to annex another one at Randburg.

Two of his colleagues too came near to achieve the same accalode he would aim for tomorrow, they are Ignace Tirkey and Vikram Pillay. They were part of the 2001 golden team, and were in the recent Australian squad, and narrowly missed the bus for the Randburg. They would certainly pray for his long standing peer to get his second Champions Challenge Cup.

Ever-green Arjun is in the shaking distance from adding another feather to his colourful cap.

It is worthwhile to mention here Arjun added gold at the Junior World Cup and Prime Minister Gold Cup the same year, the Champions Challenge came as a fitting finale in the end of the golden year.