In a significant update to the rules of cricket, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has introduced a new regulation that renders the popular 'bunny hop' catch illegal. This decision is expected to change the dynamics of fielding near the boundary and has already stirred discussion among players and fans. So, what exactly is a bunny hop catch? It refers to a scenario where a fielder, while attempting a catch near the boundary, leaps out of bounds and then returns inside the field of play to complete the catch. Under the new ICC rule, such catches will no longer be considered valid unless specific conditions are met.
According to the updated rules:
A player may jump outside the boundary and tap the ball mid-air.
However, the ball can only be touched once while the player is airborne.
If any part of the player’s body is in contact with the ground outside the boundary while touching the ball, the catch will be declared invalid.
This change directly impacts spectacular moments like Suryakumar Yadav’s acrobatic save in the 2022 T20 World Cup and Michael Neser’s viral boundary catch in the Big Bash League (BBL) — both of which would now be disqualified under the new rules. The ICC stated that the motive behind this revision is to enhance clarity, maintain discipline, and promote safety in the game. With this rule in place, fielders will need to rethink their boundary strategies and focus more on positioning than acrobatics. This decision is likely to influence how boundary-line fielding is coached and executed going forward, marking a new era in cricket’s evolving rulebook.