New Delhi: ROTORIS, India’s design-led mechanical watch house, has announced its association with Rajat Patidar for IPL 2026, positioning the Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain as “A ROTORIS Man” ahead of the tournament playoffs.
The campaign celebrates Patidar’s rise from an unsold IPL player to one of the league’s most prominent leaders, while aligning his journey with the brand’s philosophy of craftsmanship, resilience and long-term value.
Patidar’s IPL story remains one of the tournament’s most notable comeback narratives. After initially going unsold in the IPL auction and later returning as a replacement player, the batter made headlines with an unbeaten 112 off 54 balls in a playoff match — becoming the first uncapped cricketer in IPL history to score a century in the playoffs. Three years later, he now leads Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the top of the IPL 2026 table following the franchise’s maiden title-winning campaign.
The brand said the association reflects its focus on individuals who have built success through persistence rather than instant recognition.
“I never needed the shortest path. I needed the right one. There were years when nobody was watching and those were the years that built everything that came after. ROTORIS speaks the same language. Every timepiece they make carries the weight of something done the right way, not the fast way. That is why this feels true. Not just to a campaign or a season, but to something that actually lasts,” said Rajat Patidar, Captain, Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
According to the company, the “A ROTORIS Man” positioning is designed to honour individuals whose journeys are defined by resilience, discipline and gradual success. Patidar’s rise through domestic cricket in Indore and Bhopal, including a Ranji Trophy final century before returning to IPL prominence, forms the centrepiece of the campaign narrative.
“We built ROTORIS for a very specific kind of person. Someone who is always becoming more. Rajat Patidar was released by the same franchise that would one day make him captain. He came back and gave them a title they had waited 18 years for. If that is not a ROTORIS Man, nothing is,” said Aakash Anand, Founder, ROTORIS.
“ROTORIS has always believed that the most beautiful things take time. You can see it in every dial we design. Rajat’s story is the most human version of that belief. He did not rush. He did not break. He kept going, and he arrived exactly where he was always meant to be,” said Prerna Gupta, Co-Founder, ROTORIS.
The announcement comes during a significant expansion phase for ROTORIS. Earlier this year, Formula One reserve driver Kush Maini wore the brand’s Astonia Sports Chronograph at the Melbourne season opener, marking the first appearance of an Indian watch brand on an F1 grid. The company also participated in Watches and Wonders Geneva in April 2026 and is preparing for the next launch of its Astonia and Manifesta collections later this year.
As part of the partnership, Rajat Patidar will wear ROTORIS timepieces throughout the IPL 2026 playoffs both on and off the field, further strengthening the brand’s positioning at the intersection of sport, design and premium lifestyle culture.
