Prior believes jelly beans were dropped during a break

India's second Test victory included a row over jelly beans on the pitch.

Prior said in his BBC Sport column: "Sometimes issues are blown up to become bigger than they really are. That is what happened with 'Jellygate'.

"I don't think there was any more or less aggression than there was in the West Indies series, or any other Test series I would imagine."

Interview: England selector David Graveney

Prior was in the middle of the action on Sunday as tail-end batsman Zaheer Khan argued with Kevin Pietersen, accusing England's fielders of throwing sweets at him.

"When drinks are brought out, we are also given sweets to keep our energy levels up and I think a couple dropped near the wicket," said the keeper.

"There was a bit of a misunderstanding and Zaheer Khan thought we were throwing jelly beans at him, which was not the case.

"He faced one ball and suddenly reacted towards Kevin Pietersen.

"Nothing was said to provoke him. It started off being a joke but it's been taken in completely the wrong context."

I can imagine The Oval is going to be a really full-on contest David Graveney

The row was just one of a number of ill-tempered exchanges between the teams.

India's Sree Santh was fined 50% of his match fee after barging Vaughan, while the same player also bowled an accidental beamer at Kevin Pietersen.

Asked by Radio Four's Today programme if England's tactics had overstepped the mark, chairman of selectors David Graveney said: "No, I don't.

"I don't think it was particularly different from any other Test match."

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Graveney admitted there were a number of incidents from both sides which were close to the mark.

"There were some issues on both sides," he said. "You've got people bowling beamers, you've got people going across the crease."

But he added: "At the end of the game everybody seemed to shake hands."

Graveney says both sides will need to keep their emotions in check ahead of next week's third and final Test at The Oval.

But he expects it to be another lively affair as England attempt to level the series after going 1-0 down.