. ▁The ▁Sun R is ers ▁retained ▁ 1 7 ▁players ▁and ▁released ▁eight ▁players ▁as ▁they ▁announced ▁their ▁ret ention ▁list ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁November ▁ahead ▁of ▁the ▁au ction . ▁They ▁entered ▁into ▁the ▁au ction ▁with ▁the ▁remaining ▁sal ary ▁cap ▁of ▁ ▁to ▁fill ▁five ▁available ▁sl ots , ▁of ▁which ▁two ▁are ▁for ▁the ▁over se as ▁players . ▁ ▁The ▁B CC I ▁announced ▁on ▁ 3 ▁December ▁that ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁IP L ▁players ' ▁au ction ▁was ▁scheduled ▁to ▁be ▁held ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁December ▁at ▁Ja ip ur . ▁The ▁au ction ▁for ▁the ▁Sun R is ers ▁were ▁a ▁quiet ▁affair ▁with ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁sl ots ▁already ▁filled ▁before ▁the ▁au ction . ▁They ▁opened ▁their ▁account ▁by ▁winning ▁the ▁bid ▁for ▁the ▁English ▁w icket - keeper , ▁Jon ny ▁Ba irst ow ▁for ▁ ▁and ▁bol ster ed ▁their ▁w icket - keep ing ▁strength ▁by ▁wel coming ▁back ▁W r idd h iman ▁Sah a . ▁They ▁rounded - off ▁the ▁au ction ▁by ▁acqu iring ▁the ▁services ▁of ▁Martin ▁Gu pt ill ▁at ▁the ▁base ▁price ▁of ▁ ▁and ▁hence ▁increasing ▁their ▁squad ▁to ▁ 2 3 ▁players ▁with ▁ ▁remaining ▁in ▁their ▁fund . ▁ ▁Ret ained : ▁Bas il ▁Th amp i , ▁Bh uv nes h war ▁K umar , ▁Deep ak ▁H ood a , ▁Man ish ▁P ande y , ▁Th ang ar as u ▁N atar aj