"We have been told by International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee Chris Broad that Sourav has been suspended for six matches," Indian cricket board joint-secretary Gautam Dasgupta told reporters here on Tuesday.

Vice-captain Rahul Dravid will lead India in the two remaining matches against Pakistan in Kanpur on Friday and New Delhi on Sunday, Dasgupta added.

The six-match series is tied 2-2 following Pakistan's three-wicket win here on Tuesday.

The match ended at least 40 minutes after the scheduled time as India, fielding second, took extra time to bowl their overs.

The ICC had fined Ganguly 70 percent of his match fee for a similar offence during the third match in Jamshedpur on Saturday.

Ganguly's suspension comes amid growing calls for his sacking after his poor form with the bat. He has scored just 31 runs in four one-day matches against Pakistan after making 48 in the preceding three Tests.

In November Ganguly was banned for two Test matches for slow over-rates, but he won a repreive after an appeal by the Indian captain was upheld by ICC commissioner Tim Castle.

It was not immediately known if Ganguly planned to appeal against the six-match ban.

India, meanwhile, replaced Ganguly with another left-hand batsman Sridharan Sriram for the last two matches of the current series.

Leg-spinner Anil Kumble also returned to the side in place of seamer Irfan Pathan.

India's squad for last two matches: Rahul Dravid (capt), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Sridharan Sriram, Mohammad Kaif, Yuvraj Singh, Dinesh Mongia, Mahendra Dhoni, Anil Kumble, Ashish Nehra, Zaheer Khan, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Ajit Agarkar, Harbhajan Singh, Murali Kartik.

(Article: Copyright © 2005 AFP)