Mitch Marsh tweaked his hamstring and Mitchell Starc was troubled by the heat as India reached 3-151 at tea on day one of the second Test.
Debutant Josh Hazlewood snared two wickets after lunch as Australia did well to peg India back in a hot-and-humid second session at the Gabba.
The overworked attack was minus allrounder Marsh, who limped off the field after bowling the second over after lunch and never returned.
Starc was clearly distressed during the second-session drinks break, then left the park alongside team doctor Peter Brukner.
Starc returned after 13 minutes, while fellow left-armer Mitchell Johnson sent down only four overs after lunch.
In their absence, Hazlewood starred.
Hazlewood’s steepling bounce removed Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli – both caught behind after making starts.
The NSW paceman’s first Test wicket came courtesy of a slice of luck – the ball deflected off Pujara’s helmet and not his gloves or bat.
But the dismissal of Kohli, fresh from two centuries at Adelaide Oval, was well earned with the beanpole working him over before enticing a false cut stroke.
Hazlewood almost made it a double-wicket maiden in the 45th over, with new batsman Ajinkya Rahane mistiming his pull shot to a ball outside off stump.
It popped up in the air, but beyond the reach of an outstretched Hazlewood.
Rahane was 13 at the tea break, while Murali Vijay had moved to 73.
Vijay, who scored 53 and 99 in the first Test, continued his strong form to back up MS Dhoni’s decision to bat first.
He offered a chance on 36, when Shaun Marsh was unable to hold onto the low catch at third slip.
Vijay put on a 56-run opening stand with Shikhar Dhawan – the best effort by a touring side in a Brisbane Test since 2003.
Mitch Marsh delivered the initial breakthrough in the 14th over, Dhawan caught behind for 24 after playing a loose stroke to a wide ball.
The high humidity led in part to a change of ball in the ninth over, with the original Kookaburra soggy with sweat and already out of shape.
Before play, Glenn McGrath presented debutant Hazlewood with baggy green No.440.