Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly has been suspended for two Test matches due to India's slow over rate in the one-day international against Pakistan in Calcutta on Saturday.

International Cricket Council match referee Clive Lloyd penalised Ganguly for the violation of the players' code of conduct, in which the skipper is deemed responsible for his team's slow bowling.

Lloyd conduced a disciplinary hearing and found Ganguly guilty of not being able to push his bowlers to deliver the overs quickly during the day-night encounter.

"The ICC code relating to over rates needs to be strictly observed and it is important for all the stake holders in the game to have matches finished on time," Lloyd said in a statement.

"The allotted 3-1/2 hours is ample time to bowl the required 50 overs," he said.

Pakistan triumphed by six wickets in the one-off encounter, which was played to celebrate the Indian cricket board's 75th anniversary.

Ganguly will be forced to skip the two-Test series against South Africa, which begins on November 20 and features Tests in the northern city of Kanpur and the eastern metropolis of Calcutta - Ganguly's home city.

But the Indian cricket board said it would lodge an appeal with the ICC against the ban.

"We're moving an appeal to the ICC against the ban decision," board president Ranbir Mahendra told reporters in Calcutta.

The Indian selectors had appointed Ganguly captain for both Tests and included him in the squad for the opening Test.

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