Sourav Ganguly has been included in India's 15-man squad for the first two Tests against Australia.

Ganguly, 36, was under pressure to retain his place after making a meagre 96 in a three-Test series in Sri Lanka recently. But India's new selection panel, headed by Kris Srikkanth, has backed him.

The left-hander was ignored for the five-day Irani Cup domestic match, which was regarded as a trial game for the Australian series. He has averaged 31.73 in 20 Tests against Australia with just one century, below his overall average of 41.74.

Ganguly, who captained the squad which beat Steve Waugh's Aussies in 2001, will challenge rookie Subramaniam Badrinath for the number six position. Badrinath, a prolific run-scorer in domestic cricket, made his one-day debut in Sri Lanka as a replacement for injured Tendulkar

Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Venkatsai Laxman also felt the heat after their below-par performances in Sri Lanka, but all of them retained their places.

The selection raises the prospect of India's "fab four" batsmen - taking on a fledgling Australian bowling attack. Australia's only fit specialist spin bowler is the 25-year-old off-spinner Jason Krejza, a virtual unknown, after Bryce McGain, was ruled out with a shoulder injury.

Leg-spinner Amit Mishra is the other debutant in the Test squad, having figured in three one-day internationals - all in 2003. But he is unlikely to be named in the playing 11 as India look set to play with their frontline spinners, Kumble and Harbhajan Singh.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni returned to the squad after opting out of the Sri Lanka series due to fatigue while Yuvraj Singh, Aakash Chopra and Mohammad Kaif have all been overlooked.

The four-Test series opens in Bangalore on October 9, with the remaining matches to be played in Mohali, New Delhi and Nagpur. The squad for the last two Tests will be announced later.

Australia clinched a four-Test series 2-1 on their last tour in 2004, their first triumph in India for 35 years.

Indian squad for first two Tests: Anil Kumble (capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Venkatsai Laxman, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Munaf Patel, Rudra Pratap Singh, Subramaniam Badrinath, Amit Mishra.

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