Mumbai Indians (MI) endured a dismal IPL 2022 campaign. They finished the league stage at the bottom with only 4 wins from 14 games.

The five-time champions looked out of sorts right from the beginning, suffering eight successive defeats to be knocked out of the playoffs reckoning.

Reflecting on the campaign, MI skipper Rohit Sharma admitted that it was an "unexpected season" and added that "unity in the team" was the biggest takeaway as the side aims to bounce back next season.

"It was an unexpected season but we do want to reflect on the learnings and the positives. It was great to see how the team stuck together and backed each other. Now it's about how we look at the next season and how we prepare. We managed to end on a high and that was important for us. We are gonna come back stronger," said Rohit, reviewing the just-concluded season.

"The unity in the team is a good sign. I didn't see any of them give up. We stayed together as a family. They were trying their best in training and I am proud of that. The camaraderie in the team has been excellent. We had one goal and everyone was working towards it," he added.

Amid the poor show, Dewald Brevis and Tilak Varma’s batting were the positives for the MI side. While Brevis slammed 161 runs from 7 innings at a strike rate of 142.47, Tilak returned with 397 runs from 14 innings at a strike rate of 131.02.

Rohit Sharma may not have mentioned any name, but he was impressed with what he saw of the youngsters.

"Some of them are going to be gun players in the future. Them putting their hand up and giving their best was the most pleasing part of the season. They are mentally strong and have that hunger. A lot of them were playing for the first time so it was our job to make them feel comfortable. The support from the management is crucial here and I am glad to know we have that. They gave us the freedom and support and I can see a bright future for the team," concluded Sharma.

(With IANS inputs)