Was the player left out for performance reasons?

The reported explanation was about availability, not a judgment of playing ability. The association said candidates dealing with injury treatment or fulfilling mandatory service were excluded from consideration. Reporting about this player said he opted out while treating a hip injury, so it sounds like that was the main reason in his case.

One confusing detail is that mandatory service can affect candidates differently depending on their situation. The reporting said some players were excluded while fulfilling service, while others who had already begun theirs could still be eligible. That doesn't tell us how the final lineup was chosen, but it does make the shortlist seem less like a simple ranking of players.