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London - England manager Roy Hodgson on Thursday left Rio Ferdinand out of the squad for World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Poland.
Ferdinand, 33, was overlooked for Euro 2012, but with John Terry now retired from international soccer, there had been speculation about who would replace him as central defender.
Ferdinand, who has 81 caps, has not played for England in more than a year but instead Stoke City's uncapped Ryan Shawcross has been selected as one of Hodgson's four central defenders.
Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster, 24, is called up for the first time, while Wayne Rooney returns after missing wins over Moldova and Ukraine due to a leg injury.
England play San Marino at Wembley on Friday, October 12 and face Poland in Warsaw the following Tuesday.
England squad:
Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster (Celtic Glasgow/SCO), Joe Hart (Manchester City), John Ruddy (Norwich)
Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Joleon Lescott (Manchester City), Ryan Shawcross (Stoke), Kyle Walker (Tottenham)
Midfielders: Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Adam Johnson (Sunderland), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), James Milner (Manchester City), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Theo Walcott (Arsenal).
Strikers: Andy Carroll (West Ham United), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Daniel Welbeck (Manchester United)
