Australian cricket star Ash Gardner has identified “the biggest test” facing captain Alyssa Healy as she continues her comeback from injury.

Healy has had a tough year with her fitness having injured her foot earlier before a knee issue caused her to miss a month of cricket during the WBBL.

The 34-year-old featured in both of Australia’s wins against New Zealand in December but didn’t keep wicket.

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Ahead of the women’s Ashes series, Gardner provided an update on the fitness of her captain before the first ODI on January 12.

“I think it’s good,” she told reporters.

“She’s obviously playing in the Governor General’s match to prove her fitness and to make sure she’s where she wants to be.

“But she obviously showed during that New Zealand series what she’s capable of, what we’ve kind of missed at the top of the order sometimes when she’s not there.

“She really just takes that powerplay on and certainly from her leadership perspective as well she’s such an experienced head out on the field and in those tough moments she’s certainly someone that steps up.”

Gardner added she doesn’t see Healy playing in the Governor General match as a risk.

“If she wants to keep throughout our series, no. She’s kept her whole career, so I don’t see it necessarily being a risk but it’s more so probably just peace of mind for her, peace of mind for our medical staff that she can do it,” she said.

“We obviously have seven games throughout the Ashes series and potentially her keeping throughout the Ashes series is going to be literally the biggest test for her, so hopefully she gets through the match fine and has some confidence going through to the Ashes series which is so important to us.”

What’s the schedule?

The series will start with a Governor-General XI’s team playing against England in a tour 50-over match at North Sydney Oval on January 9.

From there, three ODI matches follow before three T20s and a Test match (all times in AEDT).

January 12: First ODI, 10:30am at North Sydney Oval

January 14: Second ODI, 10:05am at the CitiPower Centre, Melbourne

January 17: Third ODI, 10:05am at Bellerive Oval, Hobart

January 20: First T20I, 7:15pm at the SCG, Sydney

January 23: Second T20I, 7:15pm at Manuka Oval, Canberra

January 25: Third T20I, 7:15pm at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

January 30-February 2: Only Test, 2:30pm at the MCG, Melbourne

How can I watch?

The women’s Ashes series will be broadcast on 7, 7plus and Kayo.

Where can I listen?

The ABC will cover all matches while Triple M will broadcast the T20Is only.

What are the squads?

England ODI squad

Heather Knight (captain), Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Sophia Dunkley, Amy Jones, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sarah Glenn, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Lauren Bell, Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer

England T20I squad

Heather Knight (captain), Maia Bouchier, Sophia Dunkley, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Freya Kemp, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Lauren Bell, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Linsey Smith

England Test squad

Heather Knight (captain), Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Sophia Dunkley, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Charlie Dean, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Lauren Bell, Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer

Australia’s T20I and ODI squads

Alyssa Healy (captain), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris (T20s only), Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

Australia’s Test squad

TBC

How does the points system work?

Wins in the ODI and T20I games earn a team two points, a loss is no points and a tie is one. The winning team in the Test wins four points, and it’s two each for a draw.

Who won the last Ashes?

Australia has won the last five Ashes series. The last time England won was in 2013-14.