Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram feels that Indian cricket needs change at the helm of affairs.

"I think the time has come to change the Indian captain Sourav Ganguly. I backed Sourav before their tour of Zimbabwe but he looked pretty ordinary out there. He should be replaced with his deputy Rahul Dravid," he said in Dubai on Sunday.

"I am talking about this purely on a cricketing point, nothing personal."

Akram also said that Pakistan might struggle against England, who are a very dangerous side at the moment, in the upcoming home series.

"England have been playing good cricket these days and they will be coming to Pakistan high on confidence after a big Ashes series."

"Pakistan, I feel, still would start as firm favourites with three quality spinners, two of them -- Shahid Afridi and Shoiab Malik being top-class all-rounders -- and pacer Shoiab Akhtar coming back into the side, something which will tilt the scale in their favour.

"But they will have to work very hard to challenge England. Pakistan, under coach Bob Woolmer, is a different side. They are much more mentally strong and that matters," said Akram, who was in Dubai for a private visit.

Akram rejected the notion that England, whose tour begins on October 26, might be exhausted after the nerve-racking Ashes series against Australia. "I don't think it will be the case.

"They will have a rest before coming to Pakistan and also players these days are very professional and have a high-level of fitness."

COLD WEATHER

Paying tribute to England's four-man pace attack, Akram said they all knew how to reverse swing the ball at good speed. "I don't think their pacers will struggle in Pakistan since the weather will be cold and nice.

"In winters we have only 83 overs in Punjab and so that will matter. England will cope well with conditions there, and Pakistan will have to play out of their skins to do well.

"The current Ashes series has shown that England are getting very close to finishing the matches. They are getting the extra edge in general."

Akram said that if Pakistan beat England, then India, who are due to play in Pakistan in January, would have a tough time. "But it will all depend how the England series shapes up."