Australia finished with a first innings total of 323 after their worst batting collapse on home soil in a decade. India were 11 without loss when more showers forced play to be abandoned early on the third day.
Only 38 balls were bowled after the start delayed for six hours.
Less than 85 overs have been completed in the first three days. The umpires will try to make up some of the lost time on the final two days.
Australia, resuming at 323 for nine, decided against a declaration but lost their last wicket immediately when tail-ender Stuart MacGill, on one, took a wild swing and top-edged a short ball from Ajit Agarkar to Akash Chopra at short third man.
Agarkar finished with three for 90. Left-arm paceman Zaheer Khan was the pick of the bowlers with five for 95.
The Indian openers, Akash Chopra and Virender Sehwag, faced a hostile six-over burst from Jason Gillespie and Nathan Bracken.
Meanwhile, Cricket Australia on Saturday said it had spoken strongly to disaffected fast bowler Brad Williams over his comments about being dumped from the team for the first Test.
Williams, who was released from his 12th man duties to play for his state Western Australia this weekend, criticised the decision, saying he bowled with the wrong arm.
He suggested Nathan Bracken was preferred to him for the Gabba Test because he was a left-handed bowler.
Scoreboard
AUSTRALIA (1st Innings, overnight 323-9):
J.L. Langer lbw b Agarkar 121
M.L. Hayden c Laxman b Zaheer 37
R.T. Ponting c Patel b Zaheer 54
D.R. Martyn run out 42
S.R. Waugh hit wkt b Zaheer 0
S.M. Katich c Patel b Zaheer 16
A.C. Gilchrist c Laxman b Zaheer 0
A.J. Bichel c Laxman b Agarkar 11
J.N. Gillespie run out 8
N.W. Bracken not out 6
S.C.G. MacGill c Chopra b Agarkar 1
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-7, W-2, NB-14) 27
TOTAL (all out, 78.1 overs) 323
FALL OF WKTS: 1-73, 2-162, 3-268, 4-275, 5-275, 6-276, 7-302, 8-310, 9-317.
BOWLING: Zaheer Khan 23-2-95-5 (12nb); Nehra 15-4-51-0 (2nb); Agarkar 25.1-5-90-3 (2w); Harbhajan 14-1-68-0; Ganguly 1-0-8-0.
INDIA (1st Innings):
A. Chopra not out 5
V. Sehwag not out 5
EXTRAS (LB-1) 1
TOTAL (for no wkt, 6.1 overs) 11
TO BAT: R.S. Dravid, S.R. Tendulkar, V.V.S. Laxman, S.C. Ganguly, A.B. Agarkar, P.A. Patel, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, A. Nehra.
BOWLING (to-date): Gillespie 3.1-2-1-0; Bracken 3-0-9-0.—Reuters