The International Cricket Council’s SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats) analysis lists over-reliance on Indian money and fans as one of its concerns/weakness. And this has not gone down well with former Australian Test cricketer Dean Jones, who says if not for India, he doesn’t know where the game would be now.

“The game's pretty good at the moment. England and Australia have had their go for 100 years, India’s taken over, and have got a strong hold in ICC and that’s fine,” Jones said at the launch of his book Dean Jones’ Cricket Tips on Thursday. “Players (are) getting paid more money, people watching TV, IPL is just absolutely killer. So where is the bad part of this?”

Jones added, “The ICC has got to run the game, but I sit back and say well if it wasn’t for what India's done in the last 10 years, I wonder where we would be? Wonder where the players would be because they wouldn’t be getting the same money (anywhere) and with world’s 80 per cent cricket turnover comes from this great country. See, it’s all very well too,” Jones told DNA.

“Think the game has been outstanding over the last 10 years. Couple of teething problems here and there but if it wasn’t for Indian cricket the players wouldn’t earn the money they are earning now,” he added.

On India's forthcoming tour of England, Jones said: “I am just trying to go through the Indian Premier League. I will be seeing what pitches do they pick, the Indian team is very good they have got a bowling attack that can bowl on any conditions. It's up to the batsmen if they can get through.

“It wasn’t just the swinging ball, but it was Moeen Ali, who was knocking you guys out (last tour), an off spinner! So it was like what the hell was going on there. That needs to be picked up a little bit. So, I am expecting India to beat England.”

The man with 11 Test centuries from 52 matches said the games before the Test series will matter in England. “It will be interesting to see how they start the schedule. Whether they play a few more County matches, I would be, if I was organising the schedule. A few more County matches, get used to the Dukes ball, moving around with overcast conditions.

“You can’t just go and do England series with just one or two practice matches and expect to belt them up. You know in 1989 when we beat England and in 1993, 1997 we went over there and had four first class games before the first Test and then we had games in between. So we were game ready.

“Because beating England in England is everything like beating India in India —the Holy Grail. You can’t just expect to walk out here and just do it straight away, you need to experience the conditions, and get players used to with the ball turning and all that top stuff.”

Jones dwelled on the scheduled India's tour of Australia later this year and said he is excited about Virat Kohli & Co taking on Australia Down Under.

“Look, Virat’s my favourite player in the world at the moment and he played the innings of the summer when he was out in Adelaide last time when he got a hundred in the last match. He should belt us up in all honesty, we don’t have Smith, we don’t have Warner, so we will get some flat tracks around.

“(Ravichandran) Ashwin is going to play a big role now because conditions will actually suit these guys. Whereas in the past it hasn’t. Ashwin will be going to be a big player if they want to win the series, Umesh Yadav and Co. too,” Jones added.

Jones said the Australian cricketers banned following ball-tampering controversy – Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, deserved the punishment. “I think they are going to play some T20 leagues around the world. Pakistan Super League, after that Afghanistan Premier League, probably playing Canadian Premier League. They want to be playing for Australia, that simple as that, that kills them.

“We have set the example right now, if we catch them scratching the ball that’s a year (ban). Its up to everyone else to follow the same way if they want but that’s the way we want to set the standards and culture and that’s what going to happen.”

He further said it is going to be tough for Australia to get back the respect, though. “I think there is respect in the way we play. We got foot in the backside and we got a big foot in the back side. It will take a while to get rid of that, we have got a tattoo on our arm and it will take a while to get rid of it.”

Dean Jones is Star Sports Select Dugout expert.