Cricket journalist Gideon Haigh has sensationally claimed Optus Stadium will never host a Boxing Day Test or any showpiece event, due to having an atmosphere ‘as sterile as an operating theatre’.

Speaking on The Project, the highly regarded journalist said he doesn’t see any circumstances under which the Test will move to Perth or any other venue.

“No I don’t. I don’t see with the best will in the world that Perth Stadium is ever going to be up to hosting a Boxing Day Test or a showpiece event,” Haigh said.

“It’s got about as much atmosphere as an aircraft hangar and it’s as sterile as an operating theatre.

“The MCG has everything in its favour. It’s the venue of the first Test match (ever), it’s the venue of the first One Day International – it’s the venue of all our great occasions.

“It would take an intergalactic calamity for the Boxing Day Test to be moved to another venue.”

Camera Icon Cricket journalist and author Gideon Haigh. Credit: ABC

The debate comes in light of the weekend’s Shield match being abandoned at the venue due to an unsafe pitch, as well as the MCG’s Boxing Day contract ending next year.

The surface has come under fire in recent years for being too docile, offering little for the bowlers.

Head Curator Matt Page went in search of a more even battle when he ‘overcorrected’ according to MCC officials, but Haigh believes that makes the Boxing Day wicket an exciting unknown.

“Isn’t that the fun part?” Haigh said.

“Now we don’t know exactly what we’re going to get and to me that’s much, much better than what we’ve been getting over the last 4-5 years which has been very predictable, very pedestrian, very mundane Test cricket.

“It adds a degree of excitement to the prospect of the game.

“It’ll be a little bit like Christmas, opening your presents and not knowing what you’re going to get!”