Rupinder SinghNew Delhi, April 1 -- Ranked alongside Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangladesh, India endured a dismal campaign, managing just two points from its first five matches. Then came Williams.
The 37-year-old Australian, who chose to forgo his Australian citizenship to become an Indian national and realise his dream of playing international football for India, has emerged as an unlikely symbol of both hope and hard truth.
While Williams' composed presence in midfield during yesterday's victory over Hong Kong drew deserved praise, his performance also served as a quiet indictment of India's sporting ecosystem. Ithas taken a player developed in Australia's structured football pyramid- albeit one with an Anglo-Indian mother from Mumbai a...