MELBOURNE, Dec 10: Former Australian captain Ian Chappell feels India have committed a big ‘mistake’ by not including Virender Sehwag in the list of probables for their tour Down Under as the World Champion side still fears the swashbuckling opener. “India have made their first big mistake and the team hasn’t even been selected, let alone set foot on Australian soil. Now was not the right time to give up on Sehwag,” Chappell said.

Sehwag failed to make the list of the 24 probables, which will be pruned to 16 on Wednesday. Chappell said Sehwag’s stupendous show in the last tour in 2003-04 still haunted the Australians and his presence would have given India a psychological edge.

“Forget about whose nose might have been put out of joint, the Australians still fear Sehwag from the last tour. It’s rare that you have a chance to put one over on the Baggy Green caps, so when the opportunity arises, you grab it with both hands,” he was quoted as saying in the Herald Sun on Monday.—Agencies