By IANS,
New Delhi : Midfielder Arjun Halappa will lead the Indian hockey team for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup to be played at Ipoh, Malaysia May 5-15.
Hockey India (HI), after conducting the selection trials April 4-5 during the first phase of the ongoing training camp at MDC National Stadium here, shortlisted 45 probables for the tournament. It will be pruned to 18 after another selection trial April 18-19.
Halappa replaces Rajpal Singh, who led the team in World Cup, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. Rajpal, however, finds a place among the probables.
Halappa,30, is an experienced campaigner with 201 International caps.
He made his senior international debut for India in the Prime Minister Gold Cup at Dhaka in 2001.
The Air India employee was a key player in the Asian Games at Guangzhou 2010 where India won a bronze medal.