I'm guessing but maybe something was done to trying and rectify keepers taking catches in front of the stumps.
I also think it's possible they were trying to balance the fact that AI keepers have lightning reflexes, whereas the controls for batters trying to get back into the crease are... clunky to say the least. Trying to get your toe back in as a batter in this game, always feels like playing with fire.
Maybe there should be a separate button for this? One that just gets your toe back over the line as quick as possible. The default animation feels so slow.
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anyway, have you all noticed this boundary fielding behavior before? AI snatching back a six and fielder #2 picks it up for the return. Good to see.