The New South Wales paceman replaced batsman Brad Hodge in the only change to the Australian squad that beat the World XI by 210 runs in Sydney earlier this month.
Leg-spinner Stuart MacGill retained his place in the 12, giving the selectors the option of having him bowling in tandem with champion wrist-spinner Shane Warne.
Bracken, 28, has played three Tests, the last against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January 2004.
The chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns said his panel believed that forecast humid conditions in Brisbane made it prudent to introduce another paceman to the squad in place of an extra batsman.
"That's no reflection on Brad Hodge, but in this instance we felt for the purposes of flexibility in the attack, Nathan Bracken would provide us with another bowling option depending on the conditions that might prevail at the 'Gabba," Hohns said in a Cricket Australia statement Thursday.
"Obviously since the end of the Super Test (against the World XI) in Sydney, there has been a lot of speculation about the option of playing the two spinners in this match against the West Indies. "With both Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill in the squad we still have that option, and will assess it closer to time, once we can study the conditions in greater detail."
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AUSTRALIAN 12-MAN SQUAD (age/Tests):
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Ricky Ponting (captain) 30 94
Adam Gilchrist (VC) 33 74
Nathan Bracken 28 3
Michael Clarke 24 18
Matthew Hayden 33 73
Simon Katich 30 22
Justin Langer 34 94
Brett Lee 28 43
Stuart MacGill 34 34
Glenn McGrath 35 113
Shane Warne 36 129
Shane Watson 24 2
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