Dean Jones thinks India are "unbeatable" on home soil ahead of the series against Australia and says the top-ranked Test side would "run through panes of broken glass" for "freak" captain Virat Kohli.

India have become the dominant force in the longest format, stretching their unbeaten run to a record 18 matches since losing to Sri Lanka back in August 2015.

England felt the force of a Kohli-inspired India late last year, slumping to a 4-0 series defeat in what proved to be Alastair Cook's final series as skipper.

Jones does not envisage India coming unstuck against Australia in a four-match series which starts in Pune on Thursday.

The former Australia batsman, who featured in 52 Tests, told Omnisport: "I was there for the England tour and I've watched these guys inside-out over the last few years.

"They are unbeatable over there at the moment. Even if you score 450-500, for Christ’s sake, you still lose. 

"The spinners of [Ravichandran] Ashwin and [Ravindra] Jadeja do the job and they're very well led by Kohli. He's an absolute superstar, a freak, with the way he gets his boys to go. They would run through panes of broken glass for him – which is huge for his captaincy."

Steve Smith revealed that the tourists could pick three spinners in the first Test, but Jones believes reverse swing would be a far bigger threat to India's batsmen.

"The bottom line is, history tells us that every spinner of any note – apart from Richie Benaud – that has gone to India has not done well, that's fact," he added.

"Yes [Monty] Panesar and {Graeme] Swann had a good one, but ultimately over their careers in India they averaged well over 30 in India.

"The [Jason] Gillespies, the [Glenn] McGraths, the [Dale] Steyns; they are the guys who reversed it and bowled really well.

"Australia should be more concerned about getting their quicks to fire than load up with spinners, the India batsmen do not play reverse swing that well. If we do half-decent it will be because our quicks have done well."

- Dean Jones' book “Dean Jones Cricket Tips” - (The things they don't teach you in the academy) is available via Amazon.