Aggro, abuse and then mates... it’s all part of India-Pakistan hockey

Pak coach Saqlain Muhammad (left) and assistant coach Rehan Butt at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium. Pics/Ashwin Ferro

If you thought Australian cricketers are the biggest sledgers in sport, you could be mistaken. India v Pakistan hockey matches of yesteryear threw up a world of abuse, according to some Pakistanis, who were part of those action-packed encounters.

Former Pakistan striker and current assistant coach Rehan Butt reveals it was almost like war on the pitch. "We took huge pride in our hockey. So, on the pitch, if any India player dodged past us or tackled hard, we gave it back in equal measure. I remember once, [former India striker] Gagan Ajit Singh and I had a massive argument on the pitch. Things came to a boil and there were loads of abuses from both sides. I can't mention the expletives here," Butt tells mid-day.

Pakistan coach Saqlain Muhammad, a former sturdy midfielder, shares another aggressive interaction. "Kamalpreet Singh [former India defender] was known to be hot-headed. He would get angry at the slightest of incidents. Once, we clashed in a tackle and he nearly hit out. He immediately uttered filthy language. He's a tall guy so was very intimidating, but I abused him back. Abusing in Hindi, Urdu or Punjabi was common in India-Pakistan matches. Fortunately for us, the foreign umpires never understood the language, so we got away without too much punishment," says Saqlain.

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Current Pakistan skipper Umar Bhutta reveals India captain Harmanpreet Singh is a very aggressive customer. "He seems very quiet from the outside, but he can make some very aggressive tackles. He hates anyone dodging past him and more so if it's a Pakistani player. I've done it a few times, so I know," he says.

Butt, Saqlain and Bhutta, however, stress that the off-the-pitch camaraderie was equally endearing. "We never carried those fights back to our hotel rooms. In fact, we ate, partied and even shopped together, both in India and Pakistan. Our friendship is intact and that's how sporting relationships should play out" says Butt.