Australia and India remain deadlocked at 1-1 in their five-match Test series after rain washed out much of the third Test at the Gabba to raise the stakes for Melbourne where the series shifts for the traditional Boxing Day clash.

Rain severely disrupted play once again, much as it had previously throughout the match, after only 13 overs were bowled on the first day, Saturday, forcing Cricket Australia to refund tickets to about 35,000 spectators. There were also eight stoppages of play due to rain on Monday and the inclement weather continued on Tuesday morning before rain returned to delay the start of play after lunch.

On Wednesday, India were eight for no loss when tea was called early due to failing light in Brisbane, with the tourists needing 267 runs for victory. With a heavy downpour preventing the resumption of play after the break, the match was abandoned and the series remains locked at 1-1.

"We'll take that, obviously," said India captain Rohit Sharma at the post-match presentation.

"We head to Melbourne with the confidence that we can try to pull things toward us."

Captain Pat Cummins had declared Australia's second innings closed at 89 for seven to give India an improbable 275-run victory target as dark clouds gathered near the ground.

Cummins and fellow pacer Mitchell Starc bowled only 2.1 overs at the Indian openers before play was halted as Yashasvi Jaiswal was four not out, with KL Rahul also on four.

"Unfortunately a lot of rain, which you can't do anything about. I'm really proud of how the guys played," added Cummins.

"We were right ahead of the game. We just about ticked off every box we could."

Australia bowled out India for 260 after scoring a first innings 445, with rain blighting the match throughout.

After capturing India's final wicket in the first hour on day five, Australia led by 185 runs but rain denied them the chance to bat until after lunch.

In search of quick runs, Australia crashed to 33 for five as Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah - the same pair who produced a heroic last-wicket stand on Tuesday to avoid the follow-on and most probably save the match for India - removed the top four for single-digit scores.

Travis Head and Alex Carey (19 not out) briefly stemmed the bleeding with a 27-run partnership before Head top-edged Mohammed Siraj to be out for 17.

Cummins slogged 22 off 10 balls before becoming Bumrah's third wicket and declared five balls later.

Australia's hopes of forcing a result were always hostage to the weather but their chances of victory were already wafer-thin given their attack was a man down.

Pace stalwart Josh Hazlewood was out of action after succumbing to a calf injury, while there were also concerns about all-rounder Mitchell Marsh's fitness after he bowled only two overs in the match.

Travis Head was named Player of the Match after scoring 152 in Australia's first innings, having also scored a big hundred in the hosts' second test win in Adelaide.

Following the conclusion of the match, India's star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket in all formats after the third test against Australia finished in a draw in Brisbane on Wednesday.

"This will be my last day as an Indian cricketer in all formats in the international level," the 38-year-old told reporters.

"I do feel there's a bit of punch left in me as a cricketer, but I would like to showcase that in club level cricket."

Ashwin retires from cricket as the seventh-highest Test wicket-taker of all time.