The 33-year-old Ganguly, under pressure since he was sacked as captain in 2005, failed to get a 50 in two innings in the Test series in Pakistan, which India lost 1-0.

Chief selector Kiran More said the squad, packed with young players, could mark the end of the road for Ganguly, India's most successful Test captain who has struggled with fitness and batting form in the last two years.

"We're looking at the future. We are not going to look back from now onwards," he said.

The selectors also dropped pacemen Ajit Agarkar and Zaheer Khan, drafting in uncapped seamers Vikram Rajvir Singh and S Sreesanth, who has played in ODIs.

Teenaged leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, seen as a successor to Anil Kumble, and ODI batsman Suresh Raina were also picked.

More praised the youngsters for the energy displayed in their 4-1 ODI series triumph after the Test defeat in Pakistan.

"The way we played those ODIs was outstanding cricket. Fresh legs in the team also made a lot of difference. It is a very important move for us, looking at the future," he said.

Chawla won rich praise after helping Uttar Pradesh clinch their maiden Ranji Trophy and shining with the Under-19 squad which lost the World Cup final to Pakistan in Colombo on Sunday.

Vikram Singh is rated as the fastest Indian bowler. Zaheer Khan, looking unfit, struggled in Pakistan while rookie fellow left-arm Rudra Pratap Singh shone both in Tests and ODIs.

The first of three Tests starts in Nagpur on Wednesday. England are scheduled to play three Tests and seven ODIs.

Squad: Rahul Dravid (captain), Virender Sehwag, Wasim Jaffer, Sachin Tendulkar, Vangipurappu Laxman, Mohammad Kaif, Suresh Raina, Mahendra Dhoni (wicketkeeper), Irfan Pathan, S Sreesanth, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Rudra Pratap Singh, Vikram Rajvir Singh, Piyush Chawla.