The International Cricket Council (ICC) and Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) are set to introduce a new catching rule in cricket from October 2026, which will ban 'bunny-hop' catches where fielders jump from outside the boundary to touch the ball. However, catches where fielders push the ball from within the boundary, step out, and dive back in to complete the catch will still be allowed.

The MCC has made this rule change in response to concerns about catches that may seem unfair to cricket fans. The current law only invalidates catches where the player touches both the ball and the ground while outside the boundary ropes.

The new rule outlines specific guidelines for fielders attempting boundary catches. According to the MCC, fielders can only touch the ball while airborne once after going outside the boundary, and they must be wholly grounded within the boundary for the rest of that delivery.

Under the revised rules, catches like Michael Neser's in the 2023 Big Bash League and Dewald Brevis's for Chennai Super Kings against Punjab Kings in IPL 2025 will no longer be considered valid.

The exact law, numbered 19.5.2, states that a fielder not touching the ground is considered beyond the boundary if their last ground contact before touching the ball was not entirely within the boundary. This applies to all fielders contacting the ball after the bowler's delivery.

This rule change aims to eliminate controversial boundary catches while still allowing for spectacular fielding efforts that originate within the field of play. The new regulations provide clear guidance for both players and officials regarding boundary catches.