The run-up is an earlier event
MCC’s 2026 change moves the wicketkeeper-position requirement to the ball’s release: the keeper must then remain wholly behind the wicket until the specified later event permits coming forward. Gloves briefly farther forward during the run-up are no longer the same positional test.
Imagine a keeper moving into position while a spinner approaches. The gloves pass slightly in front of the stumps, then withdraw before release. A replay paused at the earlier run-up can suggest the wrong reason for a no-ball under the changed wording.
Compare two frames from the same delivery
Use one frame during approach and another at release. The player may occupy different positions. A single dramatic close-up cannot stand in for both moments simply because the stumps remain in view.
This timing explanation does not remove the restriction on coming forward too early after release. It identifies the point from which the current requirement operates. When an old commentary clip describes the previous wording, label it as historical rather than using it to explain current footage. The primary change document supplies the temporal distinction; the hypothetical spinner sequence shows why selecting the right frame matters.
Questions answered
Are the run-up and release the same rules moment?
No.
Does the change give unrestricted permission to move in front after release?
No; the later positional restriction still applies.
Sources & further reading
Official references for the subjects discussed. Service terms and device software can change.